


Dissociative Wiring

by Akumidori



Category: Dead by Daylight (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Role Reversal, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Study, Dialogue Heavy, Gen, Other, Role Reversal
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-26
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-09 06:28:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 43,768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27189331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akumidori/pseuds/Akumidori
Summary: Spending so much time as one role can make one a bit complacent. What if that were to change? From Killer to Survivor. Survivor to Killer. The Entity seems bent on any opportunity to squeeze the emotional energy it feeds on from its captives.--So it seems I don't know where to find the written version of Role Swap AU for DBD. So here I am throwing my attempt at this type of content due to it would not leave me alone seeing some cool fanart of the what ifs.  Also I like making content of the Killer I main. Under the hood this story is set in the universe of "The Walk in Appointment" story. Namely for what I implemented in my take of the Entity's Realm/Fog. It's not required reading but it helps with a few minor events mentioned in here relate to it. Also just like my first attempt at DBD fanfiction I will be adding more tags as I add chapters so some tags might not apply until later in the story.
Comments: 33
Kudos: 44





	1. Conversion

Flickering light got him to stir. Herman pushed himself up from the ground. Ground? He was on the couch last he knew. Looking up he noticed the dark sky. How did he get outside? Warmth attracted his attention to the campfire next to him. Was he pulled to trial during a web dream? That did not sound right. He recalled no web before this. He stood himself up and fished about in his coat pockets for something to throw in for an offering but came up empty. Strange.

Then he saw his vision’s edge was framed. Reaching up with a hand Herman felt near the corner of his eye. Glasses frames. Traveling down the leg of them he took them off to inspect them. They were thick black plastic ones. He had not seen these in quite some time. He last recalled having them on his desk as he went to meet up with Mr.Stamper. Before everything had changed. He didn't fully recalled what happened with that meeting. It was the day he was pulled from one world to another. What else had changed about him currently in this dream?

Looking down at himself saw he was wearing a grungy formally white lab coat that held a pen or two in one breast pocket. The other breast pocket held a notepad. Tugging at what he was wearing under the coat felt the collar of a turtleneck. It was about winter that day. Dark slacks. Brown belt. Herman felt around in the pants pockets and found nothing. He had left his keys and wallet in his desk that day. The shoes he wore were dress shoes that were rather scuffed up but the heels were still intact. It was so weird to have intact sleeves and a lighter head.

Herman found himself spacing off looking at one of his hands by the fire light. No wires. No burns. Lively flesh. No numbness. No sparks. Absently he clenched the hand he was looking at into a fist. No sensation of coursing static. He felt naked at seeing this. What has happened? Why was this occurring or was this too a dream? A voice cut into his thoughts.

“Doc?” The voice called out.

Herman turned seeing a young man who looked like he had not seen a bath in weeks. Dark greasy mess of hair. His grimy sleeveless shirt was perhaps at one point in its life white. They wore weathered dusty jeans. It was the face that stood out. Malformed but didn’t seem to bother the young man any.

“Max?” Herman asked but knew he was probably right. He knew the voice fairly well.

“Yeah. You woke up ‘ere as well?" Max asked, “To tell you the truth Doc I wasn’t sure if that was you. You ain’t got sparks around ya.”

“I understand. I am at a loss as well with lacking that currently. Anyway,” he pointed to the spot he woke up at, “was there. Were you dreaming before you got here?”

Max thought for a bit, “Empty sleeping.”

“I see, so whatever is going on it is occurring while we are resting,” He pulled out the notepad from his breast pocket and a pen to start writing notes. After a few sentences he checked the notes again. They were the words he wrote. Perhaps this was not a dream. He continued to write as Max joined him on the log.

“You know what’s going on Doc?” Max looked down at the notepad.

“Not entirely sure Max. However I think I know where we are. And because of that we are waiting on two others to join us here,” He said closing the notepad up to put back into his pocket.

“You do?” Max looked around before staring back at him, “Wait…ain’t this where the Survivors be before a trial?”

“Yes. It appears we are playing the role of them,” he said looking around frowning. It had occurred to him what this was turning into. If this was actually the case they were waiting for the others to arrive, “We are waiting on two more and…a Killer.”

“I don’t like that,” Max frowned and started to fidget with his hands, “I don’t like having empty hands.”

“Well think of it this way,” his attention back to Max, “in a trial there would be things to work on. Chests to search for items. Items that could help us out or at least give your hands something to do.”

“Who would we even be facing?” Max looked to the trees.

Herman looked more towards the exact spot that he and Max were use to standing at. He didn’t feel they were being watched yet. Or at least he guesses that is how the subjects would know that a selection was made to who would conduct the upcoming trial, “Won’t know until we are in trial.”

Max went back to looking at the trees. The pair waited for some time before they heard steps approach them. One was a very well built man in what seemed to be mining clothing. He lacked hair and his eyes had a very cold look to them. The other was a young woman in a weathered nurse’s outfit. Her hair pinned into place to keep her hat secured. When Max spotted them he waved them over greeting them.

The lady stopped when she saw who Max was with and her eyes narrowed, “Joy,” Was all she said.

“Pleasure having you as well Sally for this strange occurrence,” Herman said somewhat ignoring her reaction to him. Instead he turned his attention to the man with her, “Evan you clean up so well in this…dream that might not be a dream.”

Evan gave him a slight look before laughing, “I could say the same to you Doc.”

“All of us had,” Sally added. Her voice had a quiet quality as if it was not use to speaking at all.

“Quite the voice you have Sally,” Herman commented.

She glared at him at that but stayed silent. Instead Evan spoke up.

“Please Doc…you too Sally. I don’t know if this is a one off thing or what is happening still. I rather us work together to get it over with faster,” Evan said.

“Well as I said to Max before you arrived I believe we are taking on the roles of the subjects today,” Herman said.

"Do anyone feel as though we are being watched,” Max suddenly whispered his attention to where Herman was looking to earlier.

"Our trial’s conductor has arrived,” Herman said at a normal volume at that.

There was silence at that as the four of them looked to the fire before each felt a pulling sensation.

* * *

Fog became a wide hall. Herman looked around the space. This was not anywhere he been to for a trial. Urban decay everywhere. Much of the space caked in graffiti. Tall planters with some banners have been converted into hook stands in several places. It smelled musty and water logged. Scrunching his nose he started to carefully tread about the space he was in. He neared a turn and looked up. There were floors upon floors above him that disappeared into inky blackness. Looking behind him he took notice that the walls were walled to wall shop fronts. Some had doors open but many had the security gate down or boarded up. It was as though they were in a shopping center or mall. He then saw behind him one of those opened shops had a small sign blinking. Backtracking he went to this shop.

It was barren in there save for some shelves, a pallet and a hook. Tucked in a corner saw there was a yellow painted generator. He knew what needed to happen and went to inspect the machine. The side he happen to bend down an examine involved wires. He understood wiring to a degree so this should be a straightforward process. A few seconds in Herman realized a charge was coming through and had to quickly connect it up to keep the machine from blowing on him. It was a blink and he got the wires connected. He was getting the engine going pretty steadily. Where was their Killer? Perhaps he was getting use to silence when he missed the warning that raced through his fingers and he didn’t make the connection in time causing the machine to spark and bang. It had to have echoed out to all and he quickly left the shop looking for a place to duck into. He saw across from him a shop whose door was boarded up but one of the window panes was missing. It was big enough for him to crawl through. He briskly made his way over and carefully climbed over the window and into the shop. As he entered he heard what sounded like static hissing and another bang. The sound of something kicking the generator. He did not turn around. He just went to the back of the shop and tried to keep to the shadows. He had line of sight to the window he used to get in.

A few seconds later he was hearing the sound of hissed popping. It was akin to a heavily worn cassette tape. A distorted mechanical hum in the mix. A short figure stood at the window their head moving as if scanning the room he was in. The face was obscured by a band of glowing teal that was like a visor. Parts of the suit they wore also glowed this same teal color. The room was briefly bathed in red that gave some idea of the actual direction the Killer was facing. Herman heard a feminine huff escape from the figure before they seemed to turn away from the window. He waited. He needed them gone and he could go back to get the generator. The distorted noise faded slowly. He waited. He wanted to make sure there was plenty of distance again. As he climbed back out the window was when the loud clunk of a generator coming to life filled the building. It was somewhere far from him. It must have had at least two people on it for it to go that quickly. Good. It gave their Killer a reason to not be in his area.

He went to rewiring and managed to bring life to the generator he was at a few seconds later. Grinning at his success he knew he had to get going and bolted out into the hall. He looked to where he could go. Herman forced himself to walk between ad panels and benches that filled the halls. Some of the benches piled up haphazardly. He eventually came to a rather open court area that split off to two more directions. To his right was what looked like a food court and his left another hall similar to the one he was in. Looking up he saw that there was a floor above him and in the middle of this split off was a set of broken escalators. One was still intact that could take him up while the other next to it had a huge chunk missing that sparked a bit.

Herman ended up approaching the food court area after he thought he heard the distorted noise again. He ended up climbing over a low door that was held shut to crouch behind the counter. It was strange feeling this need to run and hide. Herman had rarely ever let fear take charge of his actions. Fear to him halts progress and discovery. He opted to face fear head on instead. The only fear that could ever make him pause, for a moment at least, was of the unknown. He had it occur with his fellow students in the shack once he threw away the guidelines they were originally given. It was the unknown of what could have happened upon inevitable arrest. It had been unbeknownst to him that what he had done was what his instructor was looking for: clever people who weren't afraid to push boundaries and play outside the box.

It was a fear that seldom reared its ugly head after he was taken by the Entity as most things were fairly known to him in the Fog due to the role he played. However, now acting as the role of Subject made this fear manifest with intensity. A few seconds of being left alone that fear sank and reemerged as excitement. Curiosity. After all they still did not know who their Killer was. Hardly had a good look at them other than he knew they were female that glowed like a neon sign.

* * *

Max looked down from the railing having seen Herman pass them. He tried to get Evan’s attention to this but the other shook his head. He had tried to keep up with Evan once he had found him. He was given a toolbox that was found. This was such a strange place. Never been here before so he was even more lost and it was only by sheer luck that he managed not to lose track of Evan. The pair backed off from the rail when Evan made a gesture to come to him.

They had been looking for another generator to do when one below them had completed which Max guessed was either Sally or Herman’s doing. Evan pointed to the far wall of the floor they were on and saw one to work on. This one was more out in the open compared to the first one they did. Approaching it they saw it was able to be worked on by two people and promptly set to helping Evan with the repairs. Max knew pretty much the ins and outs of his chainsaw. There were some familiar bits in the generator so he was able to figure out what he could work on.

He quickly packed the toolbox back up upon hearing Evan hiss out a swear word. Then he heard it. A static hissing sound. The pair had gotten a few steps back when the generator sparked a bluish color and a bang was heard. In front of the generator stood a short figure. Feminine looking. Their head tilted to look to one side. They twitched a bit. It happened to be the side Max was at and for him all he saw was glowing teal. In his ears it was horrific audio hissing pop with a loud hum under it. He was a bit slow to react to the glowing teal blade that formed from a dark glove that came down onto his shoulder. He cried out in pain trying to run away from his assailant. This had forced him to split from Evan. He went for the stairs and bolted them hopping several steps at a time. In his panic to get away from the center area he accidentally smacked into a hook during a turn and that was where he was sent to the ground. Promptly he was put up on that very hook as well.

* * *

Sally shook her head at hearing Max’s scream. However she wasn’t sure if it was safe to go for it but she couldn’t leave the boy dangling. She had walked away from the generator she had been working on to go for the save. By the time she got up there she saw Max was already being lifted off by Herman. She started to look around just as the men started to head away from the hook. Her ears picked up on the hum. The Killer had not been too far from them. How nice and annoying. Herman had been tugging at Max to follow him as the hum became louder. Sally stood between them and the approaching menace. Seeing a glowing blade coming at her she spun a bit wide. The blade barely missing her. It was a trick done to her by Survivors that she figured it would work in this situation. Hoping that was enough to get the Killer’s focus to her she tried to force a chase to buy Max time to be helped even if it was from Herman of all people. The loud hum in her ears told her she was getting what she was asking for.

Around and around the pair went until Sally felt she had to fake out a direction to make the blade miss her again and again. Another little play that was used against her a lot. She gotten a chance to look towards where Max had been taken to and no longer saw the aura that told her he was injured. He was fine now. At best the boys were on generators while she kept the Killer busy. She led the Killer to a pallet and quickly dropped it stunning her would be assailant. The noise the Killer was more akin to a squeak. She knew this sound. It sounded like a small toy being squeezed. She quickly figured out who their Killer was. There was only one Survivor that made such a noise when pain was inflicted upon them. Apparently it was both sides experiencing a role reversal.

Perhaps busy with the revelation she had missed when she needed to turn and was slashed into. She yelped loudly and tried to keep distance but perhaps out of anger at being toyed with for so long the Killer was very dead set on getting her taken down. Once down and hooked the Killer simply looked up at her. Sally could make out enough of the mouth to see gritted teeth. She had royally upset them it looked like, seething even. She started to make a gesture as if she was going to unhook herself. She was rewarded with a glowing blade lashing out at her in response.

* * *

Evan got to see much of this play out from the railing before he made his way down to unhook the former nurse. He was joined by Herman which surprised him given how he understood the tensions that were usually present between the two. He was about to get closer when Herman brought an arm out and pointed. They could see she was being heavily watched by their Killer. He knew the tactic, it was a frowned upon one, but sometimes it couldn’t be helped if annoyed or angered enough at a particular Survivor. Sally must have done something big for their Killer to resort to this. It also came at a price as by the time Evan and Herman seemed to wordlessly figure out a means to extract Sally from the hook a generator from the food court area came to life. They waited to see if that would pull the Killer away. It didn’t.

Evan started to move forward once he saw Herman already doing the same from just slightly off to the side. They needed at least one to take a hit to buy time, it didn’t matter who. He went to pull her off when the Killer’s attention came on to him and tried to lash out which forced him away from the hook. The Killer shifted her attention to Herman who tried to come in as well and oddly there was a pause. Her blade held steady for a moment before she tried to swing out at Herman who let out a pained chuckle. Caught off guard by the Killer’s initial hesitance to attack him. This was his moment.

Evan quickly got Sally off the hook. Letting her go ahead of him so he could cover her back as the pair fled the scene. An annoyed broken screech sounded at this and he had the Killer on his heels trying to pass him and go straight for Sally. He wasn’t going to let that happen and did the best he could to keep himself between Sally and the Killer despite their efforts to bypass him. He practically was body blocking the Killer from entering the store Sally took to. He took a swift slash to the side for his little stunt. He heard Sally vault a head somewhere right as he took the window in front of him to block access. Well tried to. He had cleared the window only to topple into the carpeted floor. Next to him he heard the shattering of wood before being hoisted up. He found himself on the same hook that Sally was on. Unlike her however the Killer left him to dangle. Probably went back to seek out Sally.

He looked around wondering if Herman was still near or if the hit he took earlier forced him away. Instead he was greeted by Max coming to his rescue after a short bit. However Evan tried to free himself before the other could pull him off. To his shock he came free from the hook. It stung but he did it. Max looked at him wide eyed before making a gesture to come to him. Clumsily he was being patched up by Max. He grunted in pain as Max fumbled about but eventually the bleeding stopped. He nodded a thanks. They needed to get back to the generators and thus he made his way back up the escalator to the one they were trying to work on earlier. Max followed him.

* * *

Herman had been trying to keep a steady breath but it was broken by silent laughter. It stung where he was hit. Perhaps due to the nature of the blade he wasn’t really bleeding out. It did not make the fact that he was in pain any better and had gone back to the food court. Possibly tucked behind a stand was a chest. Chests have a chance to have useful things like medical kits. To his luck he was right on his guess and opened the one he found and started to rifle through it. He knew he likely might not get what he was seeking but it might still help them out regardless. He felt the handle of something and tugged at it. He pulled out what turned out to be a toolbox. Gritting his teeth in annoyance he took the box out leaving the chest opened.

He had been meaning to go upstairs maybe he would find one of the others up there. He had lost track of Sally once he took the hit to get the Killer to face him briefly. It was odd that the Killer took a bit to actually attack him. There was an odd sense of familiarity in the brief moment they were up close to each other.

He assumed it was Evan that actually freed Sally. It was hard to focus on his feet from the pain and he grunted as he managed to get a hold of one of the rails to the escalator and started to haul himself up the steps. He heard the sounds of a generator being worked on and hobbled his way over to the sound. Arriving to the source of the sound saw Evan and Max working on the machine. His eyes met Max’s who had paused in his work to look at who had approached them.

* * *

Evan looked up from his repair efforts noticing that he lost his assistant and then saw Herman standing looking haggard toolbox in hand. Max had started to try helping the other out with their wound. He got up to help having some better coordination than Max and between the two of them got Herman to stop biting back the sounds of pain. Once they made space Herman wordlessly set himself to the generator they were working on. Evan watched briefly noticing that Herman seemed to be rather skillful around the panel he was working on. Quite a few assortment of tools seemed to be pulled at random but found some use in the repair job. Progress was coming fast now due to Herman’s efforts. He left Max to find Sally. Figuring Max would stay to work on the generator.

He had reached the main floor when the generator behind him came online. That was insanely fast but it was one more step to freedom from this odd situation. Then he heard running behind him. A bang was heard shortly after that. Max and Herman were looking behind them as they joined Evan downstairs briefly before they kept running past him. Evan ducked behind a large trashcan upon hearing the beginnings of the noise the Killer’s presence made.

The Killer descended the escalator looking around before heading in the direction Evan saw the other two go. Best of luck to them was his thought as he tried to seek out Sally and get the final generator they needed on. He had ended up at the one part of the building he had not been to yet and could hear soft whines of a woman. He followed it until he found Sally who was trying to search a chest currently. She eventually pulled out a red case with a white plus sign. A medical kit. She had started to open it up when he got up to her and made his presence known. She jumped clutching the kit tightly. Quietly he sighed and offered to patch her up. To that he was handed the box for him to use it on her. It was a bit easier having the right supplies on hand this time around to get Sally up and healthy again.

* * *

Sally pointed out where they should go. She was going back to the generator she was working on. She let Evan keep a hold of the medical supplies for now. And it seemed they were left in peace for some time until the generator made a static hissing sound. She saw Evan already backing away which was her cue to do the same. A bang later the pair had the Killer with them instead of the other boys. It also meant rather promptly she was being chased again. The Killer was still angered by her earlier antics. She glanced to the side and saw Evan was trying to follow them. She got stuck around a set of benches trying to make the Killer lose step with her.

Eventually she had to pull out from this loop and that was when she was struck. She bolted trying to get back to the center area. She heard shortly after her sprint that Evan was struck as well. He had tried to block the Killer again. This time she heard the Killer’s noise fade. Apparently Evan was able to pull the Killer to him this time around. She tried to go where she thought Max and Herman were to get help. Between at least two of them they should get the last generator up and running. She had not heard the Killer kick the gen Evan and her had worked on before it had tried to pursue them. She saw the other two half way up the escalator. Herman seemed to be looking around while Max was looking behind himself. Her eyes met Herman’s as she got closer. She watched him tug at Max to follow him and the trio met up at the bottom of the steps. Between the two of them she was patched up again. However they had to scatter again when she saw Evan coming to them and the Killer not too far from him. She went left while the boys that were with her went up.

She glanced behind seeing Evan fall short of a pallet. She tried to hide herself a bit hoping the Killer had not seen where she had gone. She was unlucky in that regard as she quickly had to duck into a shop with the Killer on her heels. When trying to get out from the loop that was found in the shop she was struck on her way out the window. Ahead of her she saw Max had came down the stairs again and was trying to get Evan back onto his feet. She veered left hoping the Killer didn’t see her first target was being helped. To her dismay the Killer did and left her be to shoo Max away. He had been caught off guard and cried out in pain when he was slashed at leaving Evan still on the ground. Sally had noticed he had not made a point to leave from under the pallet. If she was fast enough...

* * *

Herman was at the top of the stairs waiting to see if Max would get chased off letting him finish the job to get Evan back up when he watched the neon Killer lift Evan up and promptly be smacked by the pallet making her release her grip. He heard the squeak of pain. Wait. Was this who he thought this was? It might explain the feeling he had earlier when he was up close to them earlier. He didn’t duck as he saw the Killer look up and spotted him. He wanted her to come to him. Even as so bold as to not start moving until she was half way up the stairs. If it was his associated Survivor turned Killer it would explain why she was having such a time trying to do things. She was not use to her powers quite yet. Right now she seemed to only understand how to move via generators. If there was some other aspect to her power he had not felt it yet. Now that he was in a proper chase with her he could see her movements were off. It was as if she was some sort of animation with frames missing. This also made it hard for him to guess when to turn as he couldn’t clearly see when she was turning to follow him exactly. He wondered if she knew who she was trying to kill?

They had reached an area with a pallet and spun around it for a bit until he slammed it down over her head producing another squeak from his assailant. It was definitely her. He didn’t stick around too long as he heard her break the boards apart. He just had to get down the steps again. As he got there he saw a bit of railing was missing. Or he could just skip the steps. He took the drop making a slight gasp due to the height was a bit longer than it looked and was not prepared for it. He was impressed he didn’t roll an ankle on the landing. He had to keep moving. The Killer followed his lead shortly afterwards. He got what he wanted and now was trying to lose her somewhere. He figured the others found each other and at least one was on a generator while the others fixed themselves.

His back seared in pain. When did she get to him? Well it didn’t matter he had to not get hit again. Easier said than done as he tried to spin around one of her swings instead he went to the ground. It had barely made its mark and this annoyed him more than anything. Upon being lifted up he fought hard on the grip. A bit impressed at how well she held up to him. When the hook pierced him it sent a shock of pain to him as he let out a scream. His body weight pulled down making it feel like it was being dragged even further up which made him sorta laugh at how painful this was. There were only a few experiences he had not had yet this trial. One was death. He was left alone.

He waited before trying to pull himself off. Even then he wanted to try when he thought he had a rescuer near him to quickly yank him if the attempt failed. He saw a bit of white approach him after some time had passed. Sally. That was not who he expected but he supposed she left Evan and Max at a generator. He tugged hard to pull away from the hook but it wouldn’t budge and let out a cry of pain. She gave him an amused look before she got him down and started to treat him. Herman nodded slightly a thanks when they heard the Killer approach them. They took to different paths. It was up to the Killer to pick one of them. He heard the sound fade from him. He had to do something even if he didn’t care to help Sally, she bothered to help him and felt a need to return it. He went to look to where the former nurse went.

* * *

Sally hissed to herself hearing the Killer was with her. She did not have as many options to go to as pallets were thrown and broken over the course of the trial and she tried to snake around the shops to confuse the Killer. She saw a locker in one of the shops she had hurdled into. Perhaps if she had enough distance she could slip in one and throw the Killer off that way. She felt she did enough of a weave to slide her self into a locker and hoped she wasn’t heard in the process.

She watched through the locker slits the Killer pass by before they turned their attention towards her. She heard the locker next her be thrown open. She held her ground, but it paid off as the sound of gates coming online made the Killer whirl to go investigate the gates. By the time she got out she had no clue where to go. Her guess was they had to be on the main floor. In the wings she supposed. So she made her way to one of the hallways hoping to not pick the same direction as the Killer.

At the gate she was at she saw Herman was already on the switch looking over his shoulder probably waiting to see if he had to abandon it or not. She kept near him just in case she had to buy him time. It was something the Survivors did a lot at this stage of a trial. Her gaze went from the lights above the box to behind them. It was an agonizing wait as the lights buzzed with life. The box was nearly done when Herman dropped his grip of the lever. Had he seen something she didn’t? Or was he waiting for more of them to show up to throw the gate open?

When Evan came into view clutching his side was when she heard the gate begin to open. She came up to him and without seeing the Killer with him just felt the need to get behind him to give him more of a chance to get out. However they did not hear the awful noise. Instead the trio went to work trying to fix up Evan. No sign of Max. His scream was then heard. The Killer had found him again. And shortly another cry was heard as Max was thrown back onto a hook.

* * *

Evan looked towards where they heard the sound. He wanted them all out. He had to free Max who probably was panicked at having to fight off the Entity’s grip of him on the hook. He quickly tried to make his way over without being spotted. Knowing the Killer at this point was going to come to the opened gate now. He had not noticed he had the other two joining him on the rescue mission. When they got to the hook Herman broke off probably to work on the other gate just in case if they couldn’t go back to the first gate they got opened. He hoped that was what Herman was doing and not trying to just leave before they got Max. They had time.

He lifted Max off the hook. Max panted from his fight with the Entity. They did not have time to get Max fully patched up knowing the Killer was going to return upon the unhook. So he forced Sally and Max to get going as he lingered just a bit and hid off to the side hoping to slip by and go back to the first gate. He had to hope that by the time the pair went to the other gate it was close to opening up as well. The Killer was following Sally and Max. Upon seeing this he instead went after the Killer.

He got to the gate area and saw Herman had just left the switch with only two lights lit as he was having to dodge a swing from the Killer. Off to the side nearby he saw Max was crouched hoping the shadows would keep him from being seen. Sally was not too far either. Evan ran to the switch throwing the lever down once Herman was far enough away with the Killer following him. Just a little more. The buzz of the third light alerted the Killer to his presence. It was not held in long enough as he was forced to let go and nearly ducked out from the swing instead searing pain was felt. Someone else was going to need to do it. He didn’t see where Herman went but imagined he was able to circle back after seeing the Killer lose him. He tried to force the Killer away from the switch box but she just stood there. Guarding it. Time was ticking.

He started to run away from the area to the first opened gate. The Killer probably guessed the others were still near and wouldn't leave until she got them. It was up to Sally now if the Killer ever left the box for someone to slip by and finish the connection. He heard distantly the thunk of the gate he left open and Sally cry out in pain. He had to hope they got out now. Evan saw ahead of him Herman was standing at the threshold of the original gate. The other making a come here gesture. He stood for a moment before he felt that Max and Sally must have made it out so he was free to leave with Herman.


	2. Chapter 2

Herman pulled himself up from the couch. His shoulder stung as if he slept on it wrong. Or was that the hook from the trial still lingering? He was in his warm office again. On the floor was the blanket he had pulled onto himself before dozing off. A dream? A very vivid and real one if it was. Painfully real. He chuckled as that meant he had dreamed of having Feng Min as a Killer. Though the place they held it at was beyond the known Realms he knew of. He quickly went to his desk to write out the dream to the best of his ability. Dreams were like loose grains of sand. Easily slipping through one’s grip no matter how tight the grip was.

One thing for sure from that dream was the Killer was inexperienced. As in this was one of their first trials. Hardly knew what all they were capable of other than similar to Freddy could transport themselves via generators. They were more focused on actually lashing out with their weapon so if there was another power it was not present. In a way it reminded him that most of the Killers had been where this one had been at one point. Bewildered and coming to grips with what the Entity had done to make them tools it needed for trials. Some going through further radical changes over the course of their stay in the Fog. Sometimes the Entity felt like tweaking what it had bestowed upon them. He was one of those. Which forced another period of time of having to figure out what the Entity had changed of his powers.

Herman felt he jotted everything he could recall from the experience he then got up and partially equipped himself. He got the headgear he wore normally on, but not strapped in, and took his bat from an umbrella stand he had sitting in the office. He was going to pay Evan a visit or try to to discuss what had just occurred. Flicking the light off he locked up the office and headed out of the building and into thick fog. He focused on where he wanted to go and let the Fog do the rest.

Eventually fog became dark forest that opened up to a large building that looked like a warehouse. Many of its windows chipped or shattered. Herman was mindful of where he stepped as a few steps in saw barely the teeth of a bear trap awaiting for something to cross its path. It took him some time to get to the actual building due to the traps but eventually he made it inside. He could hear the sound of hammering ahead of him and followed the sound. He came upon a rather large built man looming over something on a crate. From behind it was clear the man was bald and scarred. His overalls held into place by a series of sharp hooks that also pierced his flesh. There were also other sharp metal objects embedded in this man’s flesh. However that didn’t seem to hinder his movements as he was swift with the hammer he was currently using. Using his bat to tap at one of the metal beams near him Herman alerted the other to his presence earning him a quick turn and glare that changed upon seeing who had disturbed him.

“Doc why are you here? You don’t normally come to me,” the man slowly set the hammer down.

“I have a question for you Evan. A simple one. Did you recently rest and find yourself in a trial?” Herman went straight to the topic at hand.

Evan tilted his head and scratched a bit under his mask, “As in I got pulled to do a trial during my sleep?”

“Yes, but not as our normal role,” Herman said.

“Are you going to ask if I recall being stuck in a mall with you, Sally, and Max against some weird not you electric Killer?” Evan then said seemingly watching for how Herman would react.

“Indeed!” He grinned, “It was such a specific thing compared to what I normally, probably we, experience when given a chance to rest. This does open up new thoughts on our patron and I wanted to discuss while it is still fairly fresh.”

Evan rolled his eyes at this, “And what if this was just a one off thing? What is there to discuss?”

“Plenty. It opens a door of what if we were put into a part of the Fog where we are the subjects against one of us. It is a possibility just as much as having us against one of the subjects given a brief time in our role. Like to have say...Sally, Max, you and I against Anna?” He said almost excitedly. It was a possible breakthrough of sorts to having a further understanding of the place they were held in, “Because we like the subjects still have some capacity of emotion,” he paused, “Well most of us that is,” Before he continued onto the current train of thought, “The ability to still be drawn upon like subjects for the Entity. What is stopping it from turning the tables to invoke fresh energy or whatever it seems to take from all involved in the trials?”

“What good does this do in not thought exercises?” Evan sighed, “As in there a actual reason to care? Other than putting to use what we put up with from Survivors?”

“I mean there is that, practical application of what has been done against us. And I just said its quite possible that it was done to gather more energy that our patron feeds on. However it is interesting seeing what changes occur to the quirks we seem to have access to in a trial,” He looked around a bit, “I mean from what I observed it seemed some of the subject quirks were switched around with ours.”

“If you say so. I didn’t really feel anything other than I had to do what I could to throw the Killer off of me until I could not,” Evan said seemingly trying to understand where Herman was looking to, “And yet we somehow did not fail at it horribly given we were made Killers first. Maybe the new guy might?”

“Their mind is too gone to get that from them without further treatment. They are still sorting out what was gathered from their last appointment with me,” Herman shook his head before he went on to say, “Through these role reversals would open the chance to experience the death subjects are put through. Not that I would seek it. After all death here is not an escape from the Entity while in its territory,” Herman’s bright gaze fell back to Evan, “I would say do not just dismiss what had occurred. There is something to take from it. It is only up to you how you handle it.”

“Were you going to ask the others? Even Feng?” Evan asked.

“No, I don’t think I would get much more from any of them. Well maybe Feng. However she is more of if she decides to talk to me she comes to my place,” Herman answered.

“Do you think she tried to come to you while you are here?” Evan smiled which was somewhat visible despite the mask.

“I probably should check back in. Thank you for hearing me out though. Always find you to be good company to chat with,” Herman nodded a slight bow of sorts as he turned to head out the way he came.

“Watch your step Doc!” Evan called out as Herman left the building.

It was just a matter of retracing the route he took to come in to leave and into the fog again. Back to Léry's if he wasn’t taken to a trial instead. When it came to returning to his little slice of the Fog he hardly ever failed to reach it. Perhaps as a consequence of a piece of him that was used to create this pocket in the Fog. Thus when traveling it was always the easiest place for Herman to travel to. Arriving he felt the immediate sensation of both he and the hospital were about to be taken to trial. Approaching a window he let lose a few sparks to give himself more lighting to quickly clip and strap in.

* * *

Trial after trial Herman hardly had a chance to sit down and continue his thoughts on the odd incident that made him play the role of Survivor. A small part of him craved another round of it. It was different. Broke the repetition of his current role. Also there were unknowns in there he wanted to solve. Fill the blanks to. He had so many notes to add and now finally a chance to sit and take thought to paper again. He had already wrote out what he thought was his own subject quirk that was present. He felt that in that trial he was capable of pushing the limits of the generators to generate more repair progress but it came at a high price if he messed up. Having a toolbox seemed to give him better chances at this more risky approach to repairing.

He had Max visit him after some time. However it seemed the country bumpkin was still trying to process what must have made some impact to him. It was clear that the incident spooked Max the most out of the four of them. Most of the chat was taken up by having to ease a rattled mind. Calming the boy enough was when Herman got to ask some careful questions and add to his notes in regards to the incident. Max had described being able to repair generators quietly and seemed to keep them from making the loud noise that happens if he messed up. Which sounded very much like a quirk Feng was known to have in trials.

As he said to Evan he did not need to talk to Sally. It had been fairly easy to guess what occurred with her. Which did leave Feng left for that line of inquiry. However he was not sure if she realized what had actually occurred. He only knew what he and the other Killers go through when it came to sleep if that was what even they were doing while at rest. He was not entirely sure if the same two dream states applied to subjects as well.

Another thought that came to him was a bit more of a what if more than anything. What in the Fog would it be like to be made to work with the subjects while facing one of his colleagues or worse himself. Could he outsmart himself? He would have quite the mind game in that. Would the subjects realize who he was if he appeared to them as looking more like them. He could just give them his last name. Hardly anyone uses his actual name in the Fog or seems to know despite it being found in his office.

His lids felt heavy which was more that just from being in the clips for a long while again. However he felt himself get up and take to the couch tugging at the blanket he had folded up. It had been sometime since he last let himself lay down with his thoughts. If anything he had to accept dreaming about the strange web that he pulled things from. Instead he just had a strange blankness. It was not the normal blank dream he would get if it wasn't the web one. His vision was fog that swirled darkly before he found himself off to the side of a campfire. However it was not from the usual spot.


	3. Chapter 3

Quickly he looked down at himself. Coat with sleeves, pad of paper and pens. It was happening again. He breathed through his teeth as he couldn’t help but have some grin to this. He felt the weight of a toolbox in his right hand. However something was a bit different. As now he could see beyond the fire the shapes of short buildings. This was even stranger than the first time he was in this spot as he carefully started to walk up to the fire. He saw the usual logs. He then looked to where the Killer normally would lurk from but felt not watched. His attention went back to the buildings.

Getting closer the one that was nearest the fire’s curtain pulled back and out came a young black woman. Her blue frames popped against the dark tones of her outfit. She happened to glance his way and stopped dead in her tracks. He knew who she was but now to see if she knew him.

“Another soul taken to the Fog, I’m so sorry,” She started to say her tone mournful, “Please sit by the fire and let me catch you up to speed-oh you have a toolbox already?” her eyes widening at what he had with him.

“Uh I got it from the place that me and three others found ourselves in after being around that fire,” Herman pointed behind him with his free hand, “So in case we get taken to somewhere is there a different place to talk at?”

“I guess we can chat in here,” She turned to open the curtain and beckon him in.

Clearly she must not know who he is. Then again he now started to pay attention to how he sounded. He lacked the distortion he had grown use to hearing in his tone since arriving to the Fog. He had to be mindful what he said still. Undersell how much he actually knew of what happens here in the Fog.

“So I noticed you said sorry to me? ” Herman asked as she sat on a bed roll and indicated he sit down as well.

“Well it means you are stuck here, no way out. Not even death will set you free here,” The woman said with a frown, “This place is foul and cruel. Yet for some reason we are given just enough light and hope to attempt to outlast the evil found here. We’re forced to do what are called trials.”

He nodded, “I think I follow. You spoke of evil. There was a fifth person? Thing? They chased us and tried to kill us by stringing us up like pigs on hooks.”

“That would be a Killer. Then you have us Survivors,” She said, “My name is Claudette by the way what is yours?”

“Carter,” He said knowing he was going to be asked for his name.

She smiled at that, “There are quite a few of us just so you know. You said you were with three others. Did you know them?”

“Not really. We seemed to be from very different backgrounds,” He said.

“What type of backgrounds? We might have already had them settle in the campsite,” Claudette tried to be helpful by her tone.

He had to think how to tell without giving too much up, “One was I think a nurse, a farmer, and a miner?”

“Would the nurse have had blonde hair?” She asked.

“No, dark hair,” He said.

“Ah never mind that then,” She laughed a little, “As for the other two I don’t think we have anyone like that already. Your companions must be in a trial without you then. Should introduce you to Dwight. See if we can set a site up for you. It will be a tent until Felix can help you set up something a bit more sturdy. Though it seems odd that the Entity, the strange force that seems to force us to do these things, has pulled even more souls in. Felix was our last new person. The thought there are actually four more so soon is disturbing.”

He pushed up his glasses nodding, “I guess lead the way.”

They got up and left Claudette’s little shack. Going deeper into the groups of tin squares that were suppose to be shelters. There was a smaller campfire set up in the center of this space with some more log seating. It was pretty quiet. Though he could hear the sounds of some song being played on a guitar somewhere. Most must be away on a trial currently. Probably for the best right now. Soon Claudette stopped at one shack and banged on the metal side of it.

“Another has been taken by the Entity. I’ve already caught him up to speed,” She said afterwards.

The curtain pulled back to who he knew was Dwight. He looked like some office guy. Just a bit dirt covered and glasses a bit scratched up. Herman felt the young man look at him for some time before gesturing the pair to come in and sit with him.

“I see he is ready at a moment’s notice in case he is called to trial during our meeting,” Dwight had spotted the toolbox Herman carried with him.

“He said he found that in the trial he was taken to,” Claudette said.

“He’s been to a trial already? Yet this is the first I’ve ever seen him,” Dwight blinked at that.

“I was telling her that me and three others who also have yet to be seen here had been to the campfire and taken to a strange place. The ordeal is called a trial is what she told me. I happen to escape that odd place with this,” He patted the box next to him.

“Oh this is not good if the Entity is pulling in so many at once now,” Dwight gave Claudette a look of concern, “But I’m sure we can make things work to get you and your companions a place to rest here. What were you doing before you found yourself here?”

Herman had to think on that, “It’s a bit hazy, but I was on my way out of the facility I work in.”

“Wonderful we always could do someone with a medical background around here. Might be able to figure out how to make our medical supplies actually last some while,” Dwight smiled. Must be the clothes is what was giving the office man this impression.

Herman shook his head, “I am more of a tech than an actual physician. My focus is neurological. Yet it seemed my technical skills were of some use to the trial,” letting a bit of a smile be seen. Perhaps still a bit proud of his quick grasp on how to repair the generators coming through, “By the way you must be Dwight then? Carter,” he brought a hand up to initiate a shake.

Dwight nodded as he reached out to shake hands. Herman was mindful of his grip but made it firm before Dwight spoke up.

“That’s certainly different compared to some of us,” Dwight laughed a little as they dropped the handshake.

“I’m sure everyone has brought something to the table no matter their background. I can see that on our way to you,” He said, “She mentioned someone named Felix helped set all these up.”

“Yeah. He was our newest guy until you and the ones we still not seen yet,” Dwight nodded, “Felix is an architect. Quite good at it too. Even managed to figure how to make the junk we scavenge from the Fog into fairly comfortable shelters.”

“I see,” he nodded, “This seems to also help in the face of such opposition found in this odd place,” His attention shifted to Claudette, “Because already just seeing this and how resourceful you all seem to be is inspiring. I hope I can be of some help in whatever way I can.”

He did mean what he said. He was impressed at what the subjects had done to their little area of the Fog. Made it their own. It also sounds like they continue to work on it as a means of passing time between trials. Perhaps a distraction from the misery of being trapped in the endless loop of torment and suffering. There was a bang at the metal front part of the shack. The curtain pulled back and a young Asian woman with a bun stood in the door way. Her purple cardigan was buttoned up currently. Her eyes fell on him and he thought he saw a twitch of something.

“I see quite the party in here, uh whose that?” the new woman asked still giving Herman a long look.

“Feng this is Carter. New arrival to the Fog. He tells us there are three more but they have not been seen yet,” Claudette said.

“Carter?” Feng says it slowly. She remains in the doorway, “Nice to meet you. Sorry can’t stay long just wanted to give heads up that I did get that trade in. So we should be in good shape again for the medical stuff. Though we need to find more double AAs is what he told me.”

“Good to know thank you!” Dwight nodded.

She left afterwards. Herman could tell something was stuck on her mind. Had she figured it out? If so why did she not call it out? He knew he was likely going to have her trying to talk to him without the others perhaps. That was going to be fun.

“Trade in?” Herman then asked after Feng left.

Dwight answered, “So we have had an issue of keeping up with the medical supplies and we made an arrangement with one of the Killers to trade as they have the supplies we need if we find them things they were looking for.”

“I didn’t think we could speak to them let alone…see them outside of trials?” He had to sound confused. He knew who this was about. It was hard to hide it but he must have done it well as Claudette begun to fill him in on how to travel around in the Fog.

“Well outside of trials is when we scavenge. Usually means we can travel to the trial locations which when not in use are a bit different. At some of those locations is actually the home I suppose you can call it to some of the Killers. We get there through the Fog itself. Outside the forest here is surrounded by the stuff and if you think and focus hard enough to the desired location. I mean none of the Killer’s places are desirable but you get what I mean?” Claudette asked after her explanation.

“Yes. Who though is willing to help us out like that? I mean wouldn’t they want us to be under supplied against them?” He asked.

“He is known as the Doctor. Big guy that zaps your brains into madness. In and out of trial depending on the mood,” Claudette said.

Well that was about right. He almost laughed out loud at hearing this but instead shook his head, “Yet is willing to be helpful?”

“Pretty sure it only occurred due to it was Feng asking him. She is his associated Survivor,” Claudette said, “meaning he and her came here about the same time. So there is a connection that perhaps makes him more willing to hear her out. Whether it goes the other way I have no clue.”

It rarely does. Was his thought out answer. The best it did was make her more willing to come to him on her own rather than just hope she comes to him. Instead to that he said, “I guess I don’t know if I have such a thing with the Killer that chased me and my companions.”

“What was your Killer like?” Dwight asked.

“...Digital? She traveled to the machines by what seemed to be electricity? Glowed of a lot of teal,” Herman tried to explain the Killer he had faced off with.

“She could move directly to generators?” Claudette gave him a look, “As in she could teleport via them?”

“Yes. Made a rather scary noise when she did that,” He added.

“Hm sounds like one of the Killers but you said they were a she not a he. There is one who can move to generators but he makes them bleed as part of his trick. We can keep an eye out and see if we happen to come across them as well,” Dwight said, “Anyway I guess we should find you a place to settle in at before you get taken to another trial.”

At that they left Dwight’s shack and started to wander the grounds until they found a patch that was up against the trees. It felt a bit out of the way of the others which was fine by him. Claudette remained at the spot while Dwight led him to a bigger building that actually had a door installed. This was the storage room. It was rather organized and fairly easy to see where things were. Herman assisted Dwight in carrying out a tent out from this shed and back to where Claudette was and begun the work to set it up.

“Oh expect the Killers to toy around with you for a bit since you are a new face around here,” Claudette said, “Some are more prone to that than others.”

“Good to know,” He nodded as they worked.

It didn’t take long before it was up and ready to go. Claudette excused herself and went to see if there was a spare sleeping bag or some sheets to use. This left Herman with Dwight.

“So Carter from the trial you have been in already did you have any questions from it?” Dwight asked.

“Things were pretty straightforward. Which is good when you are trying to keep yourself from dying,” he said to that, “Though I know it took a bit for us to understand how to help each other after being struck by the Killer. Some of us were more accustomed to wound treatment than others.”

Dwight nodded, “Yeah most of us have learned some basics which includes repairing the generators. Only a few of us are good with machinery or have some idea of what they are doing from the get go.”

“I guess we see how things go,” Herman said looking towards where they heard steps and saw Claudette with a pile of fabric and a pillow that looked thin but usable.

“Best we got right now, but we can keep an eye out for some more sleeping bags,” She held them out for Herman to take.

He shuffled about and took them and got the tent open enough to toss them in to free his hands back up. The toolbox he had set near the entrance of the tent, “I suppose I should settle in until I feel the call or whatever takes us to a trial?”

She nodded, “Call is a good way to put it. You feel it.”

The two original Survivors then left Herman to arrange the bedding. Once done with that he took the toolbox into the tent with him and sat down to check the notepad that was in his coat pocket. To his surprise it still held the notes from the first time he was put into this position. Good in the sense that he could refresh himself of what he might have missed back in the office. Bad that he would have to keep this from the subjects around him if he wanted to keep who he was a secret. He started to write out his observations of how he was greeted to the campsite when he felt weight to his eyes. Perhaps this time was not a trial but to give him somewhere to be taken in for the future? He tried to fight the urge but the heaviness became too great and he let himself pack up the notepad and lay down in the bedding.

Tent folds became solid walls and bookcases. Herman absently took look a around. It was the office. It was a shorter trip. Would his absence from the camp be noticed. How is that handled? His thoughts slammed into him to update his office notes and he somewhat scrambled while the encounter was fresh to his desk where he kept the on going file. He still did not know the moniker the Killer at the mall was given. He hadn’t even told them that they were in a place that he knew the subjects have never been to before. How long could he hide who he is to them once other Killers found themselves taking up a round as Survivors?

* * *

Feng had left the new guy with Dwight and Claudette to sort out. However his face was so familiar. She swore she seen him somewhere before. Then that weird dream came back. She had been chasing people through cyberspace it seemed. There was a nurse, miner, farmer, and a scientist? Doctor? Two of them had worn long white outfits. Maybe she could ask the new guy a few things. Such as what he did before the Fog. She got up from her shack and went looking for where they put the new guy. She found a tent. It was closed up.

“Hey, um it’s Feng. Can I talk to you?” She asked out loud but heard nothing. She tugged at the zipper to get the tent opened and saw only bedding. A toolbox in a corner. Was the new guy taken to a trial before he could take the box with him? Well guess she would have to wait until he showed up again. She zipped up the tent again and went back to her little shelter.

* * *

It had been another rather rough set of trials. Herman almost felt a level of genuine fatigue. Hardly had much time to think on the previous trial before being thrown to another. A few even he felt a slip in his performance or just unlucky with where the trial was being held at. When his vision became the hospital but spotted no generator in sight. He breathed a sigh of relief. Instead of going straight to his office he took to just making a patrol around the interior of the building. Things were feeling fairly numb so he had not bothered with the straps yet. Partially fearing at any moment this brief breather would be snatched away from him. It was nice to just roam the halls in peace. Just him and his thoughts.

He had not realized he had made more than one loop until he saw a large figure in the reception area that wasn’t there the first couple times of passing the area. A quick intake of breath did give himself away to his unexpected guest as they turned to face him. Panic became calm.

“oh hi,” Herman hissed out a greeting before he reached with his free hand to release the mouth guards.

“Now you are here. Been trying to get a hold of you for a while now,” Evan said.

“Entity been busy with me. Can’t help that,” Herman shook his head, “How long do you expect our chat to be? Enough to be in the office or?”

“It’s warmer in there,” Evan said as he started to walk straight towards the theater with Herman following.

By the time they got to the office door Herman had already removed the eye clips. He had appreciated Evan trying not to talk to him as it let him focus on the clips. It was far harder to handle them without a mirror. He got the door unlocked and the pair went in. Evan had taken to the couch while Herman closed the door. He went to his desk and sank into the chair setting his bat near him. He slipped off the headgear and set it on the desk.

“So what had you seeking me out so badly?” He asked.

“I got taken to a trial again as one of them,” Evan said, “I was not prepared for another go as that. However neither you, Sally, or even Max were with me. Instead I found myself with some of the other Survivors.”

Herman quickly pulled open a drawer for his notes, “Let me get a pen. I want as much as you can remember.”

“Uh…”Evan then told a jumbled mess of a story.

Herman wrote silently through it. As scattered and hazy of a tale he got enough to make something coherent out of it. Evan had been placed in one of the Coldwind areas with David, Yui, and Jane. They had gone against a Killer that was insanely fast that reminded him of Meg. Only he and Yui managed to escape that trial. No mention of the campsite though.

“Interesting that you had this occur. I had found myself again a subject but you didn’t happen to see some metal buildings near the campfire did you?” Herman asked.

“No?” Evan gave him a confused look.

“So when I got taken to the campfire it was not for trial. I had the toolbox we got from the mall with me. My notes from our first encounter were still present as well. However I saw that the subjects have constructed themselves a campsite near the fire,” Herman told his end of his second trip as a Survivor, “honestly I think you would be impressed with it. The subject known as Felix has been helping them set up more sturdy shelters. They use the scraps they find in their scavenging trips in the Fog.”

“Hm wonder if I’ll ever see it, imagine I would if you got to,” Evan listened, “Though that means you have encountered them, the Survivors.”

“Yes, and they don’t seem to recognize me. Perhaps I look normal enough to mask who I am to them?” Herman said with a smile afterwards, “Which just so you know if you find yourself there in the campsite they know me as Carter.”

“Isn’t that your last name?” Evan glanced to the papers on the wall.

“Yes but it also is a first name for some people,” Herman said, “I would not let them on to who you actually are quite yet. Do the subjects know your name?”

Evan shook his head, “No Survivor bothered with that. Think it’s only us Killers that I get to hear my name from.”

“Oh so you would have an easy time with that then,” Herman laughed a little, “While I feel this is some experiment put on by the Entity I am going to piggy back off it a little myself. Especially if they are not realizing who I am right away. I want to see how long that takes because the closest to who might did see me. She had a reaction but didn’t make it known to the others.”

“Feng I’m guessing?” Evan waited to see if that was correct.

Herman nodded before he went back to jotting down notes, “They have yet to encounter our mall Killer or the mall itself by the way.”

There was nothing else to really talk about as after that was said things were quiet between the two men. A short while later Evan got up to head to the door. Herman set his pen down looking up hearing the couch shift. The pair exchanged goodbyes and the door closed with Evan gone. How long before the next trial, would it be as Killer or subject?


	4. The Mind Electric

Office ceiling became tent folds. With a start Herman shot up from the bedding. He felt around his eyes the glasses frames. He had not taken them off when he last dozed off here. He took them off to inspect them and tried to wipe them up with a bit of sheet. It wasn’t perfect but they looked slightly better. He saw the toolbox still in the corner which made him smile a bit. Oddly it was nice to see consistency. It had been some time since he last was here. However the signal to him that this was about to occur again was he had the web dream, but the items were far different than what he was use to seeing. There were bundles of flowers not wreathes made of sticks. Toolboxes, medical kits, and the occasional flashlight appeared to him. He also felt a sense of improvement somewhere. Perhaps he might have a new quirk to go with the one he started with. He felt the strong need to go sit at the campfire. He obeyed this feeling.

Walking out of his tent and to the fire he saw it was a bit more bustling than the first time he was there. He had eyes on him immediately but could not stop to address any of them. He took a spot on the log which currently only had one other occupant. It was Dwight.

“Oh hello again Carter. Finally get to have a trial with you I see,” Dwight smiled. In his hands was a medical box.

“So it seems,” Herman tried to smile back but it was brief. As he saw movement come to them in the form of Feng who instead of her little cardigan and jeans sported a jersey and shorts.

This outfit was dark in color aside from the teal accents. He dimly had seen her wear this before in trials against him but he never paid much attention to it. With her was a toolbox that she set near her when she took a seat.

Dwight noticed the sudden shift in mood from Herman and gave him a look, “You alright? You look as if you seen a ghost there, it’s just Feng.”

“Uh sorry, uh no offense,” Herman looked over to the log Feng took a seat at. She was looking back at them or more specifically him, “But the clothes remind me of the Killer I was telling you about Dwight.”

“These are just the clothes I came into the Fog wearing. My esports uniform,” Feng said at hearing this, “Wait your Killer wore something like this?”

“Well the colors remind me of them,” Herman corrected, “also…esports?”

“I was a professional gamer, was on a competitive gaming team. This was our uniform,” She tugged at her jersey, “Not that I got to do much given where I am now.”

“That doesn’t really answer the question I had,” Herman shook his head chuckling a little before he noticed she tensed at that reaction, “what is esports?”

Dwight looked over to Herman with a look but waited for Feng to maybe answer the follow up question.

“Electronic sports. Like email, you know electronic mail?” Feng joined Dwight in being puzzled at their new companion’s question, “What year was it for you before you came here?”

Even Herman had no real idea of that answer himself, “…19…82?” That sounded right to him but possibly not. He had long since lost track of that himself.

“Oh,” Feng nodded, “sorry if I came off as rude then…video games have changed a lot since then.”

“Never really played any so doesn’t matter to me,” Herman shook his head, “I take it you two are from a future time?”

“I know I am in relation to you. Not sure about Dwight,” Feng looked over to Dwight.

“I say I am not too far from you Feng,” Dwight laughed, “Besides pretty sure we have some folks who are also from the 80s if not the 70s.”

“I guess the Entity doesn’t care when to take people even if the time has passed. Time seems to not matter here is also what I am gathering. Given the range of when people are from,” Herman pulled out his note pad and flipped a few pages and jotted the thoughts down before closing it back up.

“Yeah that has been a thought that has came to us as well Carter,” Dwight nodded at that, “I guess we are waiting on a forth and Killer.”

“Not sensed us being watched yet,” Herman looked to where normally the Killer stood.

“Uh since we’re waiting, I’m sure you told Dwight but what did you do before this?” Feng asked gesturing to the space around them.  
“I worked as basically a tech in a psychiatric facility. Was going for my doctorate actually,” Herman said.

“Doctorate?” Dwight blinked, “So was that job given to you as a graduate program or something?”

“Yea somewhat. I was bit of a gifted student you can say so found myself in an advanced program. Neuroscience field,” Herman nodded hoping it wasn’t saying too much of himself. He looked to Feng who seemed to look impressed but there was another look that was hard to read.

“Hm so sometime we should force you to speak to the Doctor is what I am hearing,” Feng laughed.

“Oh why?” Herman cracked a small smile more at how she laughed. He was use to her screams and cries of pain. Her laugh was about as cute as her squeaks.

“You and him might actually get along. Now that I think about it you and him may have a similar background so even more reason we should have that happen,” Feng grinned but it was short as they heard steps.

They were joined by an older male who wore a baseball cap and sunglasses. The jacket was a bit nice but the shirt under was garish in Herman’s opinion. They wore rough jeans and shoes. The belt was seemingly well kept as it still had a bit of shine to it.

“Ace, you haven’t met Carter have you?” Dwight gestured over to Herman.

“Nah, but been hearing he is new around here,” Ace tipped his shade down a bit giving Herman a look before sitting on the log with Feng, “he some kind of doctor?”

“Tech,” Feng said before Herman could correct so instead he nodded at her speaking for him.

“So kind of a doctor,” Ace said.

Herman wasn’t going to speak against that. Not when his attention was drawn to where the Killer would lurk, “I think we are on our way out now.”

* * *

Fog swirled about them taking them from the fire once the other three had pitched in a few objects into the fire. He had not think if from that web he had an offering to give this time. Dwight had thrown in an enveloped wrapped in colorful ribbons. Ace had thrown a large pouch of something. He had not seen what Feng had tossed in and the last object he saw he supposed was the Killer’s offering to the flames. He knew where they were going based on this last offering. It had been a pair of shattered bloodstained glasses. There were not many Killers who wanted to go there so he had his guess as to who might. Though the idea of having to face himself as his second ever trial was both exciting and nerve wracking at the same time. Not scared to but mentally was not ready for it.

Fog became dreary hospital. Looking around saw he was not by himself. He was with Feng who quietly pointed to follow her which he did. He knew the ins and outs of Léry's. Easily could have wandered off to some other generator just fine but right now he was having to play the role of fresh Survivor. Both froze at a sound that was audible to them. Static build up. Silently he swore as it wasn’t the mall Killer. He knew this sound by heart. It was him. How does this work? Would this crash something in the trial if they met right now? After all how could he be here and there at once? He felt his coat sleeve be pulled as the pair hugged against the wall as the sound of static crashed around the building. They heard Dwight scream from the other side of the building. So likely they would not be having to deal with the Killer yet. Himself yet.

He breathed quietly as the pair made it to a generator and set to work on it. He had to push the what ifs out as he opened the tool box. It was getting up to shape rather fast between the two of them. Until he quickly flattened his hands to pause at what he was doing as the machine rattled suddenly but no explosion. He leaned over to look at Feng who gave him an apologetic look. He nodded and not too much after did the machine come to life and the pair knew they had to book it either sticking together or part ways. It was also at this time they heard Dwight scream from being placed on a hook just shortly after the generator came online.

* * *

Feng was already impressed with how Carter was doing. He was quick on his feet to her guidance to not be struck by the static blast of the Doctor and they flew through that generator. She felt compelled to try to keep the new guy with her as much as she could. Behind the the dull sound that marked the Doctor’s presence had reached the hall they were in. She turned around and tugged at the white coat that Carter wore to get him to keep with her and the pair ducked out of sight when they reached one of the numerous bathrooms this place had. However it was her turn to feel her arm be held and pulled Carter shaking his head indicating they had to keep moving. They crept towards the other doorway of this room. The drone was getting louder. The pair tried to shuffle out of sight.

They stood on opposite sides of the doorway. Carter looking to the doorway his grip of the tool box he brought was tightly held. The sound of static build up forced them to split but it was too late as it caught the pair of them and their shrieks blended. She looked behind noticing the Doctor come out but his attention had gone to the new guy. Of course it did. She witnessed however an odd pause had occurred. Carter had only gotten a few steps out from the doorway and from her view saw he was clutching his head looking up.

* * *

Herman never had to think how he looked to others. Yes he knew things about him had changed to accommodate the power given to him. Now bathed in the red light of the Killer he took some notice now of what the others see. For one he never fully registered how much of a height difference there was between the him before the Fog and afterwards. Absolute tree of a man even to someone who thought of themselves as tall to begin with. Flesh that looked dead and fried was cracked in places. The breathing he could hear had shifted. However it was the eyes that felt so piercing is what got him to finally uproot his moment of panic and bolt. It was quite the experience to encounter yourself. He didn’t hear the swing of the bat. Nor did he look back right away but perhaps his Killerself was also having a moment. As it seemed to be a few seconds before he found himself in a chase. It was time to think ahead of himself in his home ground of all places.

He ran to where a pallet was but he could hear a rush of static trying to cut him off. Instead he quickly turned hard barely missing the electricity. He had to then quickly turn back to not be struck by the bat as the Doctor had side stepped the loop to try cutting him off. He forced the Killer to follow him back through the pallet and had gotten the boards down stunning the Doctor briefly. In that moment Herman slid on the pallet and into the Killer but was able to slip by as they recovered. He just kept running down the hall. His head buzzed with dead static. He was still being sought after.

He was able to get through a set of windows before the static could lick his heels. He could tell that his actions were getting to the Killer as after a few rounds of window leaps and a quick fake out to a set of pallets the Killer had parted ways from him. Leaving behind another wave of electricity and went after a different scream. Which Herman knew was Feng. The static coming to life in his ears now. He was starting to hear voices but they were quiet for now just low enough to be ignored. Somewhere where Dwight was hooked a generator came to life. However he felt the Killer was too focused on chasing Feng to care at the moment. He made his way to where the second generator was completed to hopefully meet up with Dwight or Ace.

* * *

Dwight still had Ace with him as they went to the center area of the building. The theater. There was always a generator here. They could hear the squeaks of Feng being chased down and hoped that she would keep the Doctor busy while they got this particular generator done. He and Ace begun work when from the corner of his vision was white. It was Carter. For a moment he thought it was the Killer making a surprise stop to them. He breathed a quiet sigh of relief as they now had a third person working on the generator. They were about halfway when it blew on them and saw Carter look at the machine annoyed but it was brief as he threw himself back at it. They might get it done but the noise was going to attract the Doctor.

Dwight ditched the machine when he heard the drone. He saw behind him Ace and Carter were a little delayed at leaving the machine before the other two yelped at the shock they received from behind. He heard a metallic ding as the Doctor missed his swing and had struck the generator instead of Ace who managed to duck out. Carter had went a different direction, but the Doctor seemed more focused on Ace. Dwight circled back when he saw Ace take the chase out of the room. Carter had joined back with him shortly as well. It was only for a moment as the pair had to flee from the room when the Doctor came back. He heard the generator be kicked. Dwight then realized that he was now the one being chased a bit late as he sprinted after the bat got him in the shoulder. He did not want a second trip to the hook so he did what he could to shake the Doctor off him. This however accidentally had him lead the Killer to Feng again as they passed by one of the hallway generators. She happened to be on one which led to the Killer changing targets.

* * *

Ace limped back to the center room to see if they got anymore progress and saw Carter was back on the machine and seemed to be almost done when he quickly made a connection he pushed himself away making a gesture for Ace to come to him. Rough but deft hands got him fixed up and ready to go again. Ace nodded thanks before joining the other to finish the generator. It came to life in a few seconds and the pair parted ways. He heard a startled yelp from where Carter had went to and waited a few seconds before he heard the sounds of static. Carter was leading the chase away from his direction. He could hear that whatever was occurring the Doctor was frying the new guy pretty good judging by the screams he was hearing which sounded more like a swear or two being held back but barely. He had to take advantage of the chase being elsewhere and went to find another generator to work on.

* * *

Everything was buzzing. The voices were too loud to ignore. Herman put his focus on not screaming for as long as he could. He needed to snap out from the delusions, but first he needed to stop being chased. When he was seeing the hallucinations he was rather calm about it doing his best to push past them. As a Killer he had grown use to that sight. However, occasionally he would spook himself if one came up in the middle of him chasing someone. Now it was a reminder of if he saw them the other could see them too.

Another factor was the red light seemed to never leave him but a few glances behind told him that his pursuer was still a ways off from him after he got a good window jump out. It had to be the madness. He knew the exact treatment plan being used against them simply based on this observation. The other thing he knew after a few zaps was the other attack was shorter than he was expecting. Perhaps low on usable electrodes for the reach he normally would use. This shortness had been a saving grace as it made it easier to dodge these waves of static. However when it would catch him it was very quick at shooting straight through him. A side effect of the treatment plan.

He had gotten too preoccupied with looking behind he didn’t look to his side and was caught by the bat. He thought he heard a cracking sound. Herman coughed out a yell as he scrambled away. It was a very solid and hard swing. It also somewhat knocked the wind out of him as he found himself trying to breathe as he began to slow his pace down after the initial burst of speed. He was pretty sure he was by himself against the Killer. He knew it was just a matter of when. The droning had not ceased in his ears. He ached. The last time he was on a hook was still rather vivid to his shoulder that twitched at the thought. He coughed out a wheeze as he rounded a corner. He had lost track of the Killer. The noise still with him or it was just his scrambled mind still messing with him. He just tried to keep going. Then he felt he could take cover at a counter and went behind it. He had looked around beforehand to make sure the red surroundings were just his imagination. He crouched as low as he could and begun the process of reasserting control of what he was perceiving around him. His breathing slowly overtaking the chaotic static and voices.

When clarity returned to Herman a new and uncomfortable thought came to him: Why did the Killer leave him alone suddenly? He should have been taken down and hung by now. The sound of static build up. The bastard was waiting for him to clear his head out just to only fill it right back up with static nonsense. He let out a pained scream when the large wave of electricity hit him. His scream was not the only one as he thought he heard Dwight and Feng as well in the mix. A few seconds later of him leaving the counter he had the droning siren upon him again. He took a chance with a nearby window only to feel his shoulder be slammed into by the bat and his face met the shattered tile floor. He was a bit dazed with the voices in his head and buzz that he slowly lifted himself enough to laugh. He was in a world of pain. Or it was he was currently tasting his own medicine. All at once pain and madness. He had not heard the Doctor climb the window to join him. He had not taken notice that he had not been picked up yet. His surroundings were bathed in red which made him look up after his laugh gave way to a groan. Their eyes met again.

The Doctor’s heavy breathing had changed. Through the forced grinned breathed out, “Strange subject you are…and yet...?” His head had tilted at that last bit. There was probably more to what he was going to say but instead the Killer finally lifted Herman up to take to a hook. The sound of a generator coming to life was probably the other reason the Killer went back to their assigned task.

Of course Herman tried to fight back during the trip. It hurt so bad to move and thrash but he wasn’t going to let the trip be easy. He yelled loudly in pain once the hook pierced him in the same area it did when he was in the mall. Once he settled on the hook he was more at eye level with the Killer. Perhaps still feeling some boldness for his earlier stunt he ended up spitting up some blood in the Doctor’s direction. He saw the mouth guards move slightly, the grin somehow wider at this. Before Herman was left dangling. It was still odd to see the others while he was strung up but he supposed it was to give the captive an idea of who might be able to reach them. The other three were so far but he saw one break away opposite the other two. They were smaller. It was Feng.

* * *

The new guy was really buying them the time they needed. Which made Feng want to rescue Carter even more. He already had made himself invaluable in this trial. Probably one of the better first trials with a newbie she’s had in some time. And yet it was odd that he seemed to know his way around fairly well in this trial space. Almost comfortable to roam the halls even. He seemed to know where to take leaps and pallets. Hell that stunt earlier of him sliding right through the Killer was not what she expected for a new arrival of the Fog. Did he mean to do that or did he blunder only to have it pay off for him on accident?

She hugged as far to the edge as she could to try avoid being sensed by the Doctor. He seemed to just know where everyone was even without shocking them out of their senses. She ran towards where Carter was hooked. Had to hope the Doctor was well enough away from her to take Carter somewhere to patch him up. At worst it would be her the Doctor would chase if the Killer came back to investigate the unhook. Usually the Doctor would seek the rescuer over the person recently freed. Most of the time. She freed Carter from the hook who let out a gasped laugh at this. However he promptly followed her lead. She tended to the best of her ability the wounds he had. He smiled once she was done. They had to keep moving. The pair went seeking a generator.

The only real pause they took to their hunt was when they heard a series of screams that she could make out as Ace and Dwight. The worst part was hearing two sets of longer screams as both were not only taken down but hooked one after the other. This was bad. She was the only one not hooked yet. However when she looked to Carter saw him looking towards where the other two were. They had to try. Carefully they edged their way hoping that they were not close enough to the eventual static blast that shot out from near their side of the building. However both yelped upon contact. She practically was trying to push Carter ahead of her. The look he gave her told her he was a little too out of it to function fully but he did what he could to keep ahead of her. The siren rang in her ears and she tried to force the Killer’s attention to her.

It seemed to work as the Doctor took a swing at her. She heard air as it barely missed her back. She tried to force him to double back away from where she and Carter were heading. He seemed to play along and kept chase with her. She hoped Carter would snap out of it fast enough to get Dwight off as it was the office worker’s second hook. She forced a loop around an area that lacked its pallet, but it was enough to get her to take a dive for a window eventually. The bat hitting the window frame with a clang. She heard an agitated huff behind her as the Doctor opted to take the long way around with her continuing to run through the room. Her second jump through the window she heard the sound of a rescue. A quick glance to the side could tell Dwight was saved.

By the time she was struck and shocked into confusion Ace was rescued as well. Her trip to the hook was worth it. She bought the new guy enough time to sort himself out and get the others. She hoped they would be in better shape by the time the Doctor went to where Ace was hooked. What felt like a few seconds later she felt herself pulled off the hook by Dwight who looked bloodied and haggard. It was a risky move as she did not think the Doctor had gotten too far from her but they weren’t immediately greeted with a return visit. Perhaps he had found someone else already and was busy with that. Or that there was only one more generator left that forced the Killer to begin a patrol around the last three generators. She had not looked at how they were positioned. She and Dwight took the time to try to help each other with wounds before trying to go to these last generators.

* * *

Ace had lost track of Carter after the pair left the hook Ace was on. They had tried to get to a generator but the sound of static rushing towards their previous location had changed things up on them. He had tried to slowly climb through a window when he heard the low siren. It faded as soon as it came. The Doctor was looking for who set him free which meant it was Carter the Killer was after.

He managed to slip into a locker right before a large wave of static came through. Ace heard muffled screams of those caught in the blast. One he was pretty sure was Carter as he slipped out of the locker. A brief flash of Carter’s position came to his view as he glanced to the direction he came from as another brief scream was heard. He tried to move away from that and actually found his way to a generator. A few seconds into rewiring however he had to freeze and tightly put himself against the machine to hide as he saw a flash of white run by him. The Doctor showing up not too much later following behind. Ace was surprised the Killer didn’t pause to check the generator he was at as it had started to make the slight noise of being worked on. Too busy with the chase Ace supposed but waited a bit before he went back to the wires. He wasn’t going to look at a gift horse in the mouth.

* * *

Just a little longer. One of the others had to have gotten to a generator somewhere Herman thought as he tried to take a turn back into the theater. As far as he knew the pallet there was still usable. Yes he knew he risked going to the basement if he was downed in this area. He took a hard turn when he felt a movement of air. He had forced the swing to miss which he could hear agitated breathing behind him. He got to the now noisy theater and quickly took to trying to loop about some of the electric chairs however on one loop was shocked off from his initial plan to throw down a pallet. He got a bat to the head. He shook his head quickly to disperse the electric stars that he could see as he quickly threw himself through a window and back out into one of the long halls. The voices in his head now seemed to merge with those of the room he had just left from.

Herman realized a bit late that the turn he took was bad as he saw not too long after the Killer had cut the distance short using a room as a shortcut. He cursed at himself for the blunder. He should know better but his mind was feeling seconds away from implosion which had forced him to scream as it throbbed painfully. His throat was so raw from the trial. Lungs blazing with no real breath to cool them. He was passing the reception area when the alert sounded that all needed generators were fixed. It was a matter of the switch boxes. He was no where near home free. He needed to take the chase away from the door. He took the first turn he saw and used his knowledge of the trial layout to circle them back to the theater. He did what he could to make sure that the Doctor could not cut corners again on him. He tried to make a check of the reception area after throwing down the pallet this time ahead of the shock. He still was zapped but he carried on screaming towards his desired destination.

No light still at this gate. They must have gone to the other. He was going to take his chance and hope that by the time he got to them they would have it opened up. However his trip was cut short halfway through as he got blindsided with a wave of static and his cheek met bat. This had caused Herman to spin down to the ground after letting out a brief yelp. However instead of being picked up the Doctor walked past him. Probably to push everyone out and force them to leave him behind. With a grunt he lifted himself enough to start army crawling to the closest wall he could get to which had some vegetation growing. His lab coat not blending in was a problem but it was better than being out in the open. He started to see if he could patch himself enough to maybe make it easier if someone dared try to help him up. If they could find him before the Killer came back for him.

He could hear three screams after a distant whoosh of electricity. A gate buzzing with power. They almost had it. Then he heard running ahead of him before he felt a set of smaller hands gently trying to help him up. It was Feng. She had somehow slipped by the chaos to get him back up. She was tugging him to follow her which he did. They were going to the other gate. The one in reception. However he noticed she was looking worse for wear as well. Neither of them could take another hit if they were found over there. He had almost went ahead of her once they got closer to reception when his sleeve was pulled back and he rocked on his heel to plant himself against the wall she was at. They could hear it, the drone. Quickly they tried to back track the way they came. But the burst of static that shot into them revealed where they were. They had no sense of which direction the Doctor actually was at but close enough to easily find them.

* * *

Feng looked to Carter after they shrieked together. His breathing was more like breathless chuckling. What unnerved her more was he was currently holding a smile that seemed eerily familiar to her. She had to push the thought aside for now. Both were looking to which way they needed to run opposite of not seeing the Doctor yet. They couldn’t help each other fully, too much static on the brain. She quickly then tugged at him to follow her back the way they came. They had to try.

She had turned her attention to what was ahead only after making sure Carter was still following her. That was when the pair saw their route was cut off by the Doctor who seemed to have such an air of glee upon finding them and slowly stepped towards them. She changed her grip to get Carter’s actual arm rather than his sleeve and yanked him to double back. If one was going to be taken now she rather take the hit than the new guy. She owed him that much. They were having to take a long way to the opened gate. She had to hope either Dwight or Ace were back on the switch they just needed one more light to power on.

She crashed into the ground when the loud low bell tone told all in the trial that a gate has opened. Now there was only so much time before the entity comes to clean the site up. It was referred to as the End Game Collapse by her fellow Survivors. Now there was a true timer on the board. She wasn’t lifted and she could barely see Carter had rounded the corner but the Doctor was quickly on his heels. She started to crawl towards some grass that had grown between the tiles. She wasn’t going to make it easy for the Killer until her dying breath.

She heard a cry that sounded like Carter as he was struck down as well. She wondered if Ace and Dwight had left already leaving them to die. Wouldn't be the first time of being forced to die just to let others live. A more long pained scream told her that Carter was on a hook and struggling now. Soon she heard the Doctor come back to where he felled her originally and started to look around. Then without meaning to her and the Killer’s eyes met. He calmly walked up to her and hoisted her to his shoulder to deposit her to a nearby hook. The Entity’s spider like leg claws quickly came bearing down her but she brought her hands up in time to start fighting back.

* * *

This was new and uncomfortable of an experience to Herman. He had barely caught the talon like legs in time to start his efforts to push them away from him. He felt if he didn’t he was just going to be stabbed to death. He had been left alone again by the Doctor and knew he had gone back to hang up Feng as well. Her high scream confirmed this. He was having to put all his strength and focus into not being stabbed but he could feel his arms begin to weaken. From his position he saw the Doctor come back to check on him and walk to where the opened gate was. Likely to use his presence to push them out leaving him the two hooks he secured. Yet this would be the exact move he would do too. It was the correct procedure at this point in the trial. Soon he felt watched again. His strength was waning and felt his grip start to slip. He spared a glance to the Killer who returned to him. Observing him. He shot a glare over to the Killer as he let the grip drop. The talons plunged deep into him. He had only let out a gasp that was short as he was hauled up and into the waiting embrace of the Entity.


	5. Chapter 5

The fog here was pitch black dark as if in transition. Herman felt what seemed like a thousand cuts upon his flesh. It stung. His eyes had watered at this strange feeling as some became rather deep. In a way it was similar to what he went through when the Entity was particularly displeased with him. The madness had became muffled and instead his mind was filled with feelings? A lot of emotions just flashed through him but the pain he was in ebbed away as if being pulled from him. The muffled nonsense quieting as well. His head was still throbbing but lacked the static buzz. He felt himself tip forward and into a foggy patch of grassland.

He was on his hands and knees when his vision finally focused on what was ahead of him. There was a distant glow of fire. He pushed himself to his feet and jogged up to it. He had lost the toolbox along the way. Not a big deal. Probably was easy to get a hold of another one if he found himself running a trial as a subject again. Greeting him at the campfire were Ace and Dwight. Ace was smiling while Dwight looked to him apologetically. By his feet was the medical kit he took into the trial.

“The Doctor pushed us out before I could come get you,” Dwight began to say but Herman cut him off.

“No. It’s fine. Besides sooner or later I was going to be killed during a trial right?” He smiled as he took a seat at the other log, “I take it Feng should join us shortly? She was put up after I was.”

Ace nodded, “Yeah. Oh boy you were something out there let me tell ya. Really gave the Doctor a run for his money out there.”

“I did?” He blinked at what sounded like a compliment.

“You kept him so busy while we got the generators going. Not at all bad for a new victim of this hellscape,” Ace said as his head shifted a bit to look past Herman.

He followed the gambler’s gaze and saw Feng was hustling over to meet up with them. She went to the log he was sitting on and sat down. She tried to smile but there was something else in play on her mind. It was in her eyes he could see the shift to hide something.

“I should have made us split sooner. He wouldn’t have caught us both,” Feng started to say but cut herself off, “You should have been able to get out but I got us both killed didn’t I?”

He shook his head at that, “Neither of us knew where he was coming from. We were both dead regardless. He was going to make sure of that I felt it. I gave him a lot of hell apparently. So if anything it should have been just me. He had made a point to watch me die on the hook after he chased them out,” he gestured to the other two, “Besides if anything it was good to know I wasn’t having my first death in a trial alone.”

He watched her after saying that. There was tiny twitches of emotion that flowed into each other. Finally she let out a laugh. That cute laugh again.

“I guess that is one way to see it. By the way how is your head?” She looked up at him.

The throbbing was mild now but present, “Still have a mild headache but manageable,” he answered.

“Do you still see anything you shouldn’t be seeing?” Dwight then asked, “Most of us struggled for a bit with separating the lingering effects of the Doctor’s powers. It takes several trials of having him to become accustomed to it.”

“What does that mean?” He asked.

“It means how quickly you recover after leaving from one of his trials. Though from how you are talking you seemed already pretty cleared up which is impressive,” Dwight said with a smile.

“I don’t know about the rest of you but I’m going to take a walk around camp I have the feeling I’m going in for another soon,” Ace pushed himself up and walked away towards the campsite.

“So I lost the toolbox during that. Is it possible I could have another? I seemed to have better luck with the machines while using one of those,” Herman looked to the remaining two knowing they would likely be able to answer his inquiry.

“Right yeah we have a shed for that. I can show you to it,” Feng got up and waited for him to join her, “Catch you later Dwight.”

"I've been there before. I went with Dwight to get the tent that was in there," Herman said as he got up as well but would still follow Feng to the shed.

Dwight nodded at that but remained seated.

Herman followed her into the campsite and walked quite a ways in until they came upon a larger tin building that had a true door attached to it. He let Feng get the door open before he followed her in. He heard the click of a small but steady light bulb come to life. He had not really looked too closely the first time he was here. He glanced up to the ceiling and saw it was some weird dinky light that looked as if it could be slid off the mount it was on. He saw no wiring at all in the campsite so this must be using batteries. Then he saw this space was kept fairly organized. The shelving was mismatched but it did the job and there were bins and milk crates filled with things. Toolboxes, flashlights, some medical supplies. He saw quite a few hooks filled with keys and a storage set up for what he had to guess were maps or just paper they found along the way. He could see some writing supplies in here as well. Just a little bit of everything.

“Just ahead. We got plenty of old boxes that we are trying to use up and hold some of the nicer things for special occasions,” Feng said walking up to the wall that housed the tools.

“Special occasions?” He followed behind her after getting the door closed.

“Sometimes we find ourselves tasked to mess with the hooks or we find some of the super nice and big boxes of tools. Those big ones if you use it wisely you can fly through generators,” She said pointing out the set of boxes she was expecting him to take.

He crouched down to the bin and shuffled a few boxes until he took one that seemed a bit newer. It rattled telling him it was ready to use. He set his selection to the side to straighten the mess he made. He felt her watching him. It let him think to how she acted at the fire earlier. She seemed to actually care about what had occurred back there. She felt like it was her fault he died. It really wasn’t. He sighed out loud which got her to ask what was wrong.

“Nothing,” He got up finished with cleaning up after himself and took the box he picked out, “I guess I will see you later?”

“Uh do you mind if I walk with you to your tent?” Feng asked.

“Sure?” Herman blinked at that.

They left the storage shed and made there way to the tent. It was a silent walk and he expected her to part from him upon arrival but instead she asked to come in and sit with him which threw him off. He let her in after he fiddled at the zipper for a bit. It had jammed on him part way so he had to fight it. The pair entered and he sat in the furthest corner to allow her to have space. He set the toolbox to his left.

* * *

“I had some questions for you that I felt you might be able to help me with,” Feng started to say, “You mentioned your Killer wore similar colors to my uniform yes?”

Carter nodded.

“I’ve had a dream that I feel was not a dream,” She continued and watched him nod.

He pulled out his small note pad and pen and flipped several pages, “Do you mind if I take notes?”

“If it helps you help me go for it,” She nodded, “So ever since I've been trapped here I only really have like two maybe three types of dreams. This dream was not any of them.”

"And those dreams are?” He paused her holding his pen up as if raising a hand.

“Well there is just nothingness. Dull but not terrible. Then there is the web one where you might have seen it. Those seem to somehow give us some of the supplies you found in the shed, offerings, and quirks. Sometimes after getting a crash course from someone in the camp their quirk might show up there and you’ll find yourself able to do things like them,” She explained.

“And the third?” Carter asked.

She looked down and away from him, “I think every so often I get a nightmare that is based on the trials. Sometimes I relive a particularly bad trial until something worse occurs to replace it or enough time had passed from it. The worst are from the Killers who by the time you see them it’s already too late and no way to escape it.”

“I see,” He scratched a few things down on the pad of paper, “Yet there was a dream that stood out against those three types?”

She nodded, “Yes. I was in a place I’ve never been to before. Everything was neon lights and glitchy I guess is how I would describe it. I was hunting down people as if I was a Killer. I was in a trial but I was the Killer. Hooks and all were present.”

“Really now?” Carter seemed to perk up at this and adjusted how he sat, “Did you know what you could do?”

“Not really. It was a very disorienting experience. I understood how to chase and hit people with the blade I had. Oh and I somehow could jump to generators through electricity? That was interesting but painful. One of the Survivors in that dream was a nurse looking lady. She made me angry and so frustrated. She was pulling all of our tricks against me and I just was not reacting in time to realize it. I felt bad for the farmer that was there,” She sighed, “I am pretty sure if they didn’t get him he was going to die. I kept easily catching him out and scaring him so bad.”

Silently she heard pen scratching and Carter looked up waiting for her to continue.

“The big gruff guy was kinda scary despite my position in the dream. Yet he kinda reminded me of Dwight. Seemed the leader type. He usually kept the farmer with him. The fourth guy I hardly ever saw, only hooked him once. I don’t see how I never found him due to he wore a white,” She paused looking at him, “Coat,” Her eyes trailed to the coat he was wearing. It was dirty and worn but it was white, “Oh my God. I know why you seem familiar to me,” Her face felt the color drain.

She watched Carter’s face slowly become one of surprise a look of excitement took over as he spoke up, “I was feeling the same thing! Also you are describing the people I was with in my first trial. However the mall place we were in was rather dark and decayed. You wore a visor so had no face to look at. I had wondered once I heard you make similar noises to her in the trial we just had together."

She looked away from him again. He was talking about how she squeaks sometimes. Her face burned at this. She heard him continue speaking.

“Though I wonder do you have an associated Survivor then when you are Killer?” Carter wondered aloud, “How does one know if they are paired?”

“You know I never thought about that,” Feng found herself thinking how she knew the Doctor was her associated Killer.

They usually went off of they entered the Fog at the same time was the most likely chance of being paired. The only exceptions was Dwight, Claudette, Jake and Meg. Going by that logic the Trapper was theirs. However time had passed and some of the earliest Killers like Wraith and the Hillbilly seemed to have formed that bond to one of those four. There was also the moment of first contact. It seemed the Doctor held curiosity towards her instead of instant annihilation when they first met.

She thought back to the dream. The man in the white coat when he tried to go in to save the nurse lady she had stopped him but she had waited to strike out at him. Her cheeks burned at this. Perhaps this was why she felt so inclined to work with the new guy. He was her Survivor when she was Killer. He was larger than her even when she was in the Killer’s role. Kind of intimidating. Speaking of that. Working with Carter on generators was a bit scary. She felt a bit overwhelmed by him. She had burnt her toolbox a lot sooner than planned but man did they get that generator fast despite how much his presence seemed to get to her at that moment.

“So what is your thoughts on how one knows if they are paired?” Carter spoke up after a bit to get her attention.

“Uh…like a lot of things around here it’s a feeling I suppose. Though I can tell you from how I figured out mine was due to how he first reacted to me. Several trials I had early on with him he would leave me for last. Which led to a race to hatch. If I didn’t get there or he closed it meant a slow but eventual death while my head was filled to the brim with static. I think he has a thing for my screams out of everyone he shocks in trials,” She watched a twitch from Carter at that last bit as he held back a noise, “Well he seems to be the type to get off on people’s suffering.”

Carter still held a hand up coughed before bringing it back down his face neutral again, “I just wasn’t prepared for the comment. You make it sound like there might be some feelings there that are beyond the assigned roles.”

She gave him a look before sticking her tongue out, “Oh no way in hell. He’s insane and must have done a lot of terrible things to attract the Entity into taking him to be made a Killer for its trials.”

“Yet you seem to be the one who goes to speak to him of outside trial matters?” Carter brought up how he first met her in the campsite.

“That’s business nothing more,” She said flatly.

“To the Killer who seems to go out of his way to handle you separately from the others if he has you in his trials,” Carter responded to her tone.

“Lately he usually has me killed first,” She said.

“Perhaps in a particular mood, I don’t know…because if we are going off how first encounters go. It seemed I had that occur with you and the Doctor. A momentary pause before reacting,” Carter took to his notes again.

“I know the Doctor gets a bit excited with new people because it means new screams. Though he seemed to have more than just a curiosity of how you sound,” She said, “He took a long while to react to you the first time I noticed.”

"That didn't escape me either," Carter nodded.

"Though he seemed very hellbent with you once he got over his initial reaction," She said.

“Indeed, very insistent on my capture and making sure I died once the gate got opened,” Carter said before smiling, “I seemed to have kept him busy for a lot of the trial from what I heard.”

“I noticed and you seemed to have a good grasp of the hospital despite that being your first visit there,” she said.

“It’s roughly a square donut. Smaller than the mall I was first at that is for sure,” Carter shrugged, “So easier to figure my way around I suppose. Was there anything else?”

She shook her head, “Not at this time. Thank you. I guess I just need to process what I thought was a dream…” she left his tent at that.

After mulling it over for some time in her shack she went to go check on him again. Only to find his tent empty. Toolbox left behind. She started to look around in the forest wondering if the tech had gone on a walk.


	6. Chapter 6

Blearily Herman woke up in the office. His head was pounding with conflicting thoughts. He recalled the trial as subject but he was also seeing flashes of a different perspective. His head throbbed as he got up to his desk. To write what he could recall before he lost them. However halfway through his notes he realized they were about the trial as his normal role.

Rereading what he wrote paused at the following: _…He seems to know the layout of the hospital about as well as I do. I have never seen this subject before. And yet I feel he is familiar to me. Very defiant. Reaction to stimulus is typical to those in the Fog. However reaction to the hallucinations differed compared to the other subjects when they first encounter them. Immediate dismissal of their presence. Walks into them without fear. Reaction to treatment plan was similar for the most part. Not great at double checking his sides…_

How aware was he of himself in that trial? He tried again to write what he could recall as a subject. This time he didn’t see he had switched views on himself. When he finished writing he pulled up a new page and folder without much thought and begun to write in that. He caught that he was rewriting what he had observed as the Killer of the trial but this time it was more organized. The way he usually handled subject records. He left the subject name line blank along with background. It was as if he had a blank even though literally he was writing about himself. He paused the pen staring down at his hand before he set it down. He needed to get out of the office. Away from the building. Somewhere to clear his thoughts. He partly equipped himself for trial just in case he was summoned while out and headed to the reception room to leave. He stopped in the hall upon seeing company. He had just talked her. Well as a subject he did.

“Bitter that I snatched both you and the new subject?” He said before he straightened slightly at what he just said. That was not what he was planning to say but that was what came out. The tone rather sneering.

“Not really, just surprised me that you didn’t kill me right away this time,” Feng said, he could see her gaze was just low enough to not make eye contact. Possibly she did not see how he reacted to his own words.

“If not that then why are you here so soon after having a trial together?” He asked.

“I need a second opinion of something I spoke to Carter, the new guy about. Something you might have some better thought to as much as I hate to say it,” She said before taking a seat in one of the reception chairs, “Given your role.”

“My role?” he took a chair opposite her setting his bat on his lap.

He got to hear her recount again the dream she had with her being the Killer. Mentioned the thought that she and Carter were paired. She was his associated Killer due to how her interaction as Killer to him went. After all Carter came in at the same time she found herself playing the role of Killer. He let her talk. A new theory forming at this. He was her associated Killer so why would it not be true the other way around?

“I guess I don’t know if that is correct to me to guess…but that also leads to the bigger question. Why was I made a Killer and yet I still am a Survivor?” Feng glanced to him.

“That is strange I will give you that. Possibly the Entity is seeing how far it can stretch the souls it brings here?” He offered a thought. Yes it somewhat was giving some hint to his theory to her but he wanted to see what she would do with the statement.

“Wouldn’t that apply to the Killers as well?” Feng gave him a look. A twitch of thought had played across her brows, “I mean you were once like us, human, Most of the Killers were human.”

“Some of our number were not human to begin with is the problem with that line of thought. Those of us who were once human were drastically altered to serve the Entity’s needs,” He said his bright gaze falling upon the young woman, “Which has gone far beyond the physical changes brought on by our powers. I studied the brain not the metaphysical, but I am pretty confident to say that change has occurred to our minds as well. Enough to make us more inclined to perform our role,” He sighed as some sparks absently jumped between some of his exposed cables.

“Then that means if the Entity can change me from Survivor to Killer and back. Could it not do the same to the Killers who were human originally?” Feng met his gaze even when he knew she hated to look into it. It meant something for her to do that.

“Possibly however do you have proof of it yet?” He asked.

“Not yet…but I might have a lead on that. It would involve speaking to the new guy and any of the companions he was with,” Feng said.

“Speaking of the new guy. What did he have to say to what you just told me about your time as Killer? After all he is new around here,” He adjusted how he sat waiting for a response.

“He is pretty sure what I experienced is real due to I ended up describing the companions he was with, the location we were at,” Feng said.

“Oh so there are more new arrivals?” He perked at this. The reality was he knew of them already. They were his colleagues.

“Yes. Have you been to the place I was describing?” Feng then asked him.

“No,” he lied, well half lied. He had not been there as a Killer.

“Thoughts on the idea of me being paired to him? The new guy,” Feng seemed to wait on him.

“You literally just met this man maybe twice. You went out of your way for him in a trial. What does that say to you?” He simply asked.

“Yes?” Feng gave him a look.

"Then there is your answer," he laughed, "So what does this new subject, Carter, do before he found himself here?" Herman knew the answer but wanted her input.

“Grad student who worked in a mental facility. Thinking he was trying to get his doctorate or something,” Feng sounded like she was pulling hard to recall that detail.

“What type of work did he do?” he asked.

“He said he was a tech of some sort but didn’t get too much past that,” She shrugged, “We joked that he should talk to you since I think you and him might have some common ground.”

“Perhaps it would be nice to meet him…he seemed to know how to do things around here for a fresh subject," He said with a smile, "Which is refreshing given what I'm use to seeing when new subjects arrive here."

She got up at that, “Yes. If I catch him at camp again I’ll see if I can get us to come together due to I don’t think he would dare come here by himself outside of trials.”

“I'm sure he actually might. Rather bold subject from what I had observed in our trial together. Though he probably doesn't know how to travel around here without guidance yet. No rush do bring him in when you think you two can,” He got up as well and ended up following her out into the fog letting it separate them to where ever they were going from here.

* * *

When Feng returned to the campsite it didn’t take her long to hear that two new arrivals showed up. When she got to the smaller campfire they held meetings at she saw sitting around it was Dwight who was currently chatting with a woman dressed in a white nurse’s uniform and a well built man who seemed soot covered. She stopped dead in her tracks. These were two of Carter’s companions from her time as Killer. As she got closer she could better hear what they were talking about.

“Yes the only one of us left you had not met is Max,” the man was saying.

“The farmer,” Dwight nodded at this.

“Farmer?” the woman looked back to her companion oddly.

“That is a good way to describe him I suppose. To tell you the truth don’t have much of an idea what he did before here. I just know he seems to know his machinery pretty well,” The man said before he must have caught sight of Feng, “Oh you were not kidding about the amount of folks here.”

Feng made her way up to the group sitting near Dwight. The lady with them was indeed the nurse that had upset her when she was the Killer. Seeing her now could see the worn look on her face. Feng introduced herself to the pair. The two newcomers nodded their heads and introduced themselves as Evan and Sally.

“So you said you already had one of us settled in here?” Evan asked looking to Dwight.

“Yes, Carter has been here for a short while. He seems to be away in a trial at this time which is a shame. Only been to one trial with him so far,” Dwight nodded, “We have some tents still to give you two some space here. Never seem to truly reach the trees it seems as more souls find their way here.”

She watched Sally seem to give Dwight a look as if the name didn’t register with her.

“That is what he said his name was,” Evan gave Sally a nod. Though there was also a look that Feng did not quite catch but it made the nurse nod back.

“Yes, we hardly been in these trials together. So hopefully we can catch up if we cross paths again,” Sally smiled slightly. Her voice was so soft and airy. Feng found herself leaning in to hear the woman.

“We can try to set you two up near his tent,” Dwight offered, “I’m sure he’ll be thrilled to have neighbors he kinda knows.”

“Sure he will,” Evan said, “and you said you have not come across the Killer or the place we were in?”

Dwight shook his head, “No. We told Carter we be on the look out if we come across them. The place is new he had not spoken about where the trial was at all.”

“Odd thought he would if he was going to bother talking about our Killer,” Sally took her gaze to the fire before them, “Does anyone else feel a pulling sensation on their mind?” She then looked to the direction of the main fire. The one that offerings are given to.

“Ah you must be being called to a trial Sally,” Feng spoke up, “I’m feeling that too so perhaps we are together.”

The nurse got up at the same time as Feng did. It was a sensation of needing to obey and the pair did leaving the other two behind.

* * *

Evan watched the girls leave but he did not have what Sally was talking about. He was left with Dwight who offered to show him where the tents were and work on that. It was interesting to see this place that Herman had spoken of. It was good to be shown that there were some practical minds among the lot. As a Killer he had met Felix a few times in trials so it would be interesting to meet him outside of that context. Getting to the shed he was impressed with how it was laid out.

With the help of Dwight the pair got two tents out and were making their way to where Herman’s tent was. On the walk Evan thought it was odd that Dwight had not figured out who he was. Sure he lacked the height and metal bits stabbing into him. The mask wasn’t a full covered one. He didn’t think he sounded different from his Killerself but perhaps he did to the Survivors. Perhaps one of the other three original Survivors might figure it out given that he was the oldest serving Killers these Survivors face off against. They have had a lot of time together.

They started the work of setting the tents up once they found some spots to place them at. It was during this that Dwight begun to talk again.

“So until now where did Sally, Max and you go?” Dwight asked.

“I don’t know. It’s hard to keep track of things around here,” he said. He honestly didn’t understand what occurs between trials. It mostly had been a bit after the trials he just found himself back at his warehouse alone with his traps.

“It is nice then that you and Sally are able to join up with us. It can be rather lonely out here otherwise,” Dwight then said, “you said you met some of the others already yes?”

He nodded, “I don’t think I got their names though. Didn’t have enough time before we were taken to the trial I was telling you about. The one with the rather fast Killer.”

“I’m sure you’ll come across them here. It’s hard not too given how many there are of us now,” Dwight laughed, “So what is it that you did before you got here. Clearly Sally was a nurse. Still in her uniform and all.”

“I worked under my father in the family business as a supervisor,” He said, “It was a rather hands on type of job.”

“I can tell,” Dwight nodded at that. The pair got through the tent set ups rather fast between the two of them.

“I guess I should speak for Sally and myself that we are thankful of you being able to give us some form of shelter around here on such short notice,” He spoke up after they got done.

Dwight grinned, “Hey anything to make this place a little less horrible. It is best to keep the spirits high around here or else there is the chance you will be lost to the Void.”

Evan blinked in honest at the statement. For as long as he has been here in the Entity’s Realms he had really only heard of it in whispers. As a Killer it wasn’t spoken of as it seemed to be more of a concern to Survivors. However from hearing Herman talk about his on going treatment of the Blight, their newest member of the Killers, they had been to that place before. It was a point of no return, however something had occurred to give him a means out. He paid the price by becoming a Killer.

“Void?” he asked aloud.

“From the scattered notes we have found around in the Fog it is a place where the broken souls go. Survivors that no longer could keep up and fight on. We think we have figured out enough of a means to keep any of us from suffering from that. However one never knows when it might occur,” Dwight looked off into the trees, “I fear someday I or any of the original four who found ourselves here will be swept off to there. As we have been here the longest of any of the Survivors found in the campsite.”

“So this Void place is worse than doing these trials is what I am hearing,” he seemed to follow the logic.

The former office worker nodded, “Hence even if we suffer from a series of bad trials we do what we can to keep pushing onwards. I think it has helped that most of us come from rather varied backgrounds. Each of us being able to bring something to the table that could help the others.”

“Who are the other three who have been here the longest?” he asked despite knowing who they were.

“There’s Jake, Meg and Claudette,” Dwight answered, “Jake tends to keep to himself around new faces until he has a trial or two with them. So you are more likely to find the girls and myself around here if we aren’t in trials.”

He nodded at that, “Good to know.”

“Oh probably should see if we have any bedding for the tents shouldn’t we?” Dwight started to head in the direction towards the storage shed.

“If there is any to spare otherwise we should be okay for now,” He tried to assure Dwight but the other had already kept moving so he had to go catch up with the skinnier man.

The pair managed after going back to the shed to find some sheets but no pillows. Dwight assuring Evan it was no problem for them to be on the look out for such things. By the time Dwight left him with the bedding to arrange between the two tents he felt so drained. A lot had occurred and so once he was able to settle into his tent he just left the need to sleep just take him. His dreams filled with sweet simple nothingness.

Eventually he woke up to the warehouse he was working on a project in. His hands a permanent red and scarred up. The stab of metal present with him again. There had been one nice thing for being a Survivor. It stopped the constant dull pain he was in. It was pain brought on to ensure his full service to the Entity. Some days the pain would be so bad that he was rather blind to anything else other than the trials. In the hope that if he did well enough the Entity would ease the pain away for a short while. However it was not long before he felt the pull to trial and as he left grabbed a bag and one of his numerous traps.


	7. When the Hunter is Hunted

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy just like my first DBD Fic match chapters can take me a while to write out. This was compounded by life before fun. Has not helped I've been itching with a future section of this story which I maaaay have already written the entire chapter in regards to that section. However in its current form it might be too soon for the section so will need some time to think.

Evan could have just told them. However there was a moment of panic at doing so. He had felt a fear of shattering the initial warmth he and Sally received from the Survivors. He did not want to ruin that. He didn’t tell Dwight when he could have. He had made sure through looks alone to make Sally join him in silence in that moment. She respected him enough as the oldest serving Killer to follow his unspoken lead. The Survivors were more than willing to take in total strangers and give them comfort despite where they were. It reminded him of what he once wanted for his father’s workers as an act of defiance to the man he found himself following in line with. He saw the work that the Survivors put into the campsite. He could feel the hope and willingness to thrive in spite of all the odds. He felt telling them would tear away from him a moment of actual humanity.

However Evan knew that nothing good stays around for long. The friends he had in his old life turned out to be filthy maggots that deserved what they got for letting their tongues loose. Something was going to come in and it would be made known who he was. It was just a matter of when. His best guess was when Max found himself at the campsite. He was rather distinct looking even when looking more human. Max was just born the way he looks with only it being warped slightly by the Entity. However he had really only seen Max as a Survivor one other time. While bolder than the first trial the pair were in the boy was still one of the first to really get put up on the hook. He did not worry about Sally as she likely felt similar about this opportunity to feel something other than rage and violence. Of course he knew Herman wouldn’t dare either due to seeing this as an experiment. The man liked when he could toy with people in new ways when given a chance. Sooner rather than later will the Survivors would figure it out. He needed to be prepared for how it would go.

It would be sometime before Evan found himself back into the role of Survivor. He had woken up in the tent that was set up for him and felt the need to go to the offering fire. Already at the fire were Meg and David. He took a seat at one of the empty logs knowing they were waiting on a fourth. He felt watched from the spot the Killer lurks from.

“Oh hello again,” David gave Evan a nod which he returned.

Meg looked between the two, “Wait so you already met this guy?”

“Yeah we ended up in the cornfields together. Never got your name though,” David said.  
“I didn’t catch yours either to be fair,” he said, “I’m Evan.”

“Oh my bad, I’m David. The others from that trial were Yui and Jane,” David laughed a little.

“What trial was that?” Meg asked.

“It was the one where it was the love child of the Legion kids and Speed. The one that made me think of you Meg,” David said.

Evan watched Meg’s face drop at hearing this before her attention went to him. He thought he saw a flash of something but she shook her head with a smile.

“Oh that one,” She laughed but it sounded a little off to Evan like it was forced.

“Right so you are Meg?” He then asked.

“That’s me,” Meg pointed to herself, “I take it Dwight told you about me?”

“Not a lot. Just you are one of the four who were first here,” he said, “I’ve yet to meet Claudette or Jake.”

“I’m sure you’ll bump into them eventually,” Meg nodded, “So I heard that at least two of your companions are here or at least have tents around here.”

He nodded a confirmation to what she heard. It was at that he had company on the log he was sitting on. Sitting next to him was a young thin black man in a mechanic’s uniform. The shirt opened up to reveal a dirty white shirt. His face was weathered and scarred from what seemed like a burn to the face. His expression was of confused fright. Evan had not caught the direction this young man came from and the other two stared as well.

“What is going on?” The young man asked, his accent was heavy and hard to place exactly.

“We’re about to go through hell,” Evan spoke up before the other Survivors could. However he caught David giving him a grin at what he said.

The young man looked at him for a short bit before his eyes lit up, “Wait…I can speak…without it hurting,” Absently he put a hand to his throat.

“When this is done we will be having a talk okay?” Evan said, “To get you fully up to speed.”

“Okay,” the young man nodded as dark fog begun to circle them.

In the transition of campfire to trial several bundles of flowers were pitched in along with a wreath of twigs and bones. Fog became dense forest. Familiar woods to Evan as he spotted not far off a massive tree.

* * *

They had gone to one of the fragments of the Realm that was made from His memories. The woods that surrounded the estate. A pretty quiet place compared to some of the other parts of the Fog they could have gone to. Looking around saw he had who he was pretty sure was Philip with him and quickly made his way over. The other busy looking down at themselves.

In the lowest whisper he could manage to say, “Phil it’s me Evan,” there was an rather unspoken rule of one never really talks while in a trial. Perhaps to keep themselves hidden from the Killer.

Philip stopped examining himself, “…I thought so...but why are we Survivors?” his tone was a whisper as well.

“Ain’t got time for that now. Later. Just do what you seen them do,” he said before pointing to a generator he could see and the other nodded at that.

The pair were heading there when Evan paused catching the glint of metal on the ground. He knew damn well what it was and silently mouthed out a swear word before joining up with Philip who gave him a look. Evan made a gesture with his hands to indicate what he had spotted. A bear trap. The one he found was closed up but it was a clear hint to who they were against. To that gesture Philip nodded grimly and carefully started to fiddle about with the generator. Evan had started to assist him when a thought occurred. They were going to need to look for a specific set of bones arranged in a little pile that were alight with flames. However at the moment he was going to take advantage that it was going to be a little before things got truly going. As long as they don’t stop working on the generator they were on currently.

It was sometime before they heard the pained scream of David somewhere far away. Probably blundered into the Killer on accident. By the time David was put on a hook the generator came to life. Evan started to head towards David and noticed Philip following behind. He shook his head pointing to a generator that was across the ways from the one they just did. It took the other a few seconds before the other headed off in that direction. Evan was going to try to help out David but figured Meg was nearby as well. He could keep an eye out for any active totems on his way. He thought he caught sight of flames just as David was free from the hook. He also heard the grind of hellish noise that alerted him to being in the vicinity of the Killer. Likely was going to the unhook and hoped he didn’t cross their path on his way to what he thought was a lit pile of bones.

What he approached was a set of bones erected into a little arrangement with candles lit under them. He bent down to start dismantling it. The harsh noise of the Killer’s presence seemed to become more intense as if approaching his position. The noise became harsh enough to ditch the effort and try to keep himself out of sight. He just needed the Killer to walk past and not look back. It was not long before he saw himself approach the burning totem a trap in hand. The breathing was so loud and more of an animal’s than a human’s. Of course a trap was going to be set at the totem.

The issue however was when on accident his gaze must have met the Killer’s after the trap was set. For which they started to walk to where he was hiding at. He started to shuffle quietly around the thick tree trunk he was at to block further sight while trying to make sure he still was tracking the other’s movement. Evan bolted when he felt they had fully switched positions. He had to hope the other had not turned back to the totem. They would have to deal with that later.

* * *

Philip was still working on the generator Evan had pointed him to when he sensed he had another with him on a different side of the machine. Pausing briefly at the panel he was working on he leaned over to see David who looked hurt. David had been trying to bite back making the noises of pain but it still came out. David had paused as well to look back. A silent greeting was exchanged before Philip got up to treat David. The pair watched the generator before them make a cracked buzzing sound and odd sparks fly. He heard David let out a whispered swear word. An active Hex was in play. Both knew which one. It would explain why Evan left him behind. He had gone to find what was having a spell over the generators. Though how did Evan know to go look? He had him work on that first generator without pausing. He had to guess it was due to who the Killer was.

He got David patched up and the pair went back to work. Some of it had to be redone due to the Hex but they did what they could. Off to some distance they could hear traps being triggered but no screams. Someone was disarming them. Which likely was attracting the Killer to look to who was doing so. They had it nearly completed when they heard Meg’s scream shortly after a trap going off. She found one.

* * *

Meg quickly got down to try to free her leg. The metal teeth dug deep into her ankle. She had been a second too slow on reacting as she saw it snapped shut on her hidden among the grass she was walking through. She hated being against the Trapper. Over the course of their time in this hellscape the Killer was getting rather clever with how he set his traps. If they didn’t get masked by the ground itself they usually were found around the various windows or pallets. Just waiting to take a leg or two out along the way.

She heard the bear like breathing coming towards her just as she felt the trap ease up finally. Her leg felt raw but she had to move. In a burst of speed she pushed herself just enough to feel she made distance. For a moment her leg was not screaming in agony but once she stopped the sprint it came right back. She choked back her pained groans. Which led to a pained whining sound as she kept running. She kept having to glance to the ground. It would be just her luck to instantly step right into another trap with the Killer on her heels. She saw a moment to take a turn. To a pallet only to feel metal clamp down on the leg that already got mauled by a trap earlier. She screeched. She was easily collected from the trap and taken to a hook.

From her vantage point she scanned about to see if someone happened to be near. The figure she saw closest to her was maybe David. Instead it was Evan and when he lifted her off she felt odd about it. His grip reminded her of the very Killer that put her up there in the first place. He was ushering her to follow him. She quickly tried to be ahead of him so he would take a hit instead of her if the Trapper came straight back over to find who unhooked her. They had reached to one of the far edges of the property and it was behind a crumbling wall that her rescuer was trying to patch her up. She had followed his gaze feeling he was on edge like he should be in a trial. They could hear the sound of what sounded like a bear breathing. She wanted to bolt but Evan’s grip held her fast just enough to stop the bleeding. They waited. Normally she would bolt but she felt Evan was giving her a look to stay put. Carefully they peer around from their hiding spot only to see the Trapper’s back facing them. They could hear the distinct click of a trap being placed. Eventually the breathing died down as the Killer left their area. She heard the grass rustle near her and saw Evan slowly walk towards a generator. She followed him.

They were left their to own devices for some time until she saw the skinny black male running to them and not too far from him was the Killer. She heard Evan sigh as he spotted the scene coming towards them. While she started to let go of the wires she heard Evan keep adjusting things on his side of the machine. It wasn't until the Killer shifted his focus to the generator that Evan got up from it and it was a rather surreal moment.

* * *

With only a piece of machinery and some boards stood between them Evan stared back at his Killerself. He heard them huff loudly stepping towards him. Their grip on their blade tightening during the approach. Hardly could say this was a human given amount the of metal stabbed into this figure. How he was not constantly making a sound with that embedded in him was a minor mystery other than the Entity provides just enough to keep the objects from distracting him while in trial. He nearly didn’t see the blade coming at him when he spun around it. A reminder that that he couldn’t just stand and think. He started to run glancing to see his Killerself very much was after him.

His eyes snapped to ways out but due to who he was against just tried to fake his route as he went along trying to avoid where he felt a trap would most likely be. However it wasn’t long before sharp blade met his back and he yelled out in pain. He had barely reached a pallet and in his moment of pained panic dropped it even after being struck. He pushed on hearing the boards crack behind him He ached but knew he had to keep moving the pounded grind of a sound still with him as the Killer was catching back up to him. He took to a window finally hoping to clear the line of sight however when he landed he felt a sharp pain to his leg and looked down. He tugged hard at the trap. He knew he only had seconds at best. Blood covering his fingers made the attempts to free himself difficult. The barest of red graced him when he got free of the bear trap’s teeth. Only got a step or two in when he was forced to kiss the ground.

Lifting himself up a bit was bathed in the Killer’s light. He felt a strong hand rest itself on his back pulling him into an over the shoulder position. He fought the best he could and nearly slipped out when the hook pierced his shoulder. He let out a yell of frustrated pain as it was akin to what he felt since under the Entity’s service. He was face to face with the Killer and he thought he saw through the carved mask the eyes had widened briefly. They shook their head at him before leaving him for a moment. Not too far he heard the sounds of a trap or two being collected. He was being used as bait. He looked around from where he was. He was last aware that Meg was near him and Philip as well.

* * *

Philip inched slowly towards where Evan was hooked. He was looking down to tread carefully. It helped that his dark clothes somewhat blended him into the forest. He side stepped a bear trap with just enough to pluck his fellow Killer from the hook. Gently he guided Evan away avoiding the trap to help with fixing up the hook wound. He received a weary smile at the help. He watched as Evan slowly make his way over to some far off direction he followed coming upon a generator that was worked on and losing power again. There was a Hex still active. He had been trying to find it since he got the previous generator done. He left Evan to his work and went back to where he thought he saw a totem.

He came upon one that had a trap guarding it. He took in a silent deep breath carefully stepping up to it to disarm it. Crouching over it he started to pull at some pin that eventually forced the device to shut on its own leaving the path before the lit bones clear. He looked around silently counting. He expected to have caused some attention to come to him however in the five seconds he counted out there was none. He quickly knelt in front of the bones to tug the construction apart. A loud thunderous crash ripped through the forest as the bones before him crumpled. However he sensed the magic was not done.

Of course there was that other Hex in play as well. He gritted his teeth at this as he knew he had to jog out of the area knowing that dismantling would be a bigger notice to the Killer. No totem was to be spared at this point. By the time he found an unlit set of bones to work on was when the clunk of a generator was heard off in the direction he last knew Evan to be. He started to hear a harsh noise approach his area. Looking around he barely caught sight of the Trapper who was making his way to him. He did what he could to get to somewhere to where a pallet was however in his panic he forgot about the traps. He let out a cry when the bear trap crunched into his ankle.

What felt like mere seconds later he was easily removed from the trap and hoisted over the Killer’s shoulder. He fought against the grip. For a moment there was a pause and he felt his carrier swing out at something ahead of them. He heard Evan grunt in pain. He had nearly slipped out when the hook pierced him. He let out a loud cry of pain at this. He dangled there knowing just enough to not fight yet from the hook. He knew Evan was not in a state to make this rescue. Not if the Killer backtracked upon the unhook. He was still rather near from how things sounded around him. His heart was still pounding.

He heard Evan approach him rather bloodied. He wanted to shake his head at what was about to occur. The pounding still in his ears just as he was lifted off from the hook. He could see the red light returning to them however he felt himself be shoved to a direction to start running from the hook. Bolting despite how much pain he was in he hoped Evan was not too far behind. However he heard behind him Evan had fallen again and was placed on the hook he was pulled from. Likely the Killer would go seek him out afterwards.

* * *

David looked up from the generator he was trying to get running. He could see the shape looked enough like Evan who was now fighting the Entity’s grasp now. Progress be damned as he went running towards where this hook was. He had to side step a number of traps but eventually he was able to reach Evan’s hook. He hoisted the other off which made the strange appendages disappear. He was patching Evan up when they heard another thunderous crash. Another active totem dismantled. Right then they heard the young black man cry out somewhere in their area. He left Evan to his own devices as he started to rush towards the fallen teammate. If he could get close enough the Killer wouldn't see him and let him get the save.

He got into position just as the young man was thrown onto a hook. Rapidly the other had to catch the Entity’s talons before they could plunged into him. David waited until he heard the Trapper leave and gave an extra second or two before he came from his hiding spot to fetch the young man from the hook. He had made sure when he went to fix them up he was able to move at anytime to take a hit for the other to escape if the Killer returned. The young man was leaving him when they heard the harsh noise of the Trapper returning to the hook. He let the other be ahead of him until he lost sight of them. The Killer’s breathing told him he was the one being chased now. A generator came to life when he was struck. The burst of panicked speed was just enough to find somewhere to duck into.

There was only one generator left and David was sure that the Trapper was having to change priorities. He looked around to where to go before he saw off to some distance a blinking light of a generator. He had some time before the Killer would get to this one to at least get it started. Upon arriving already saw that that both Evan and the other guy were manning this generator. It only allowed for two people to work on it. He supposed he could seek out bones. However he must have been spotted by the others as Evan left his spot to patch him up.

They all heard a trap snap and a cry from Meg from some other part of the forest. He was about to head that way when Evan tugged at him to stay with the other guy. A grip that reminded him so much of the Trapper himself. David gave him a look that conveyed that it should be him not Evan. Evan was on death hook, it was too big of a risk. A hard look in return became a small nod. The grip changing to shove him to go fetch Meg. By the time he got to her she was putting up a fight with the Entity and he had to carefully walk around the Trapper who was going towards the generator he left Evan and the other guy to work on.

Upon her feet returning to the ground the alarm for the gates came online. Meg’s panting vanished as she seemed to perk up with a sudden burst of adrenaline as she quickly made her way to one of the gates that flashed up briefly in their vision. He watched her narrowly miss a trap in her haste. His gaze had fell on the gate that he guessed would be the one Evan and the other guy would try to run to and made his way there instead.

Upon reaching the switch he saw it was trapped and started to disarm it when he heard the Trapper approaching the area. However saw it was due to they were pursuing Evan. Taking advantage of the distraction was able to disarm the bear trap only to cause the Trapper to glance towards him and change course. David muttered a swear as he had leave the switch that he didn’t get a chance to touch. He could hear behind him the trap being reset before the horrid noise of the Killer slamming into his ears which signaled a chase. His best bet was to pull the Trapper away and hope he didn’t hit a trap along the way.

The hope however was short lived when taking a window he landed straight into a trap and hissed out in pain. He heard the Trapper vault the window as well and collect him. On his way over he heard the cry of someone being swung at on the way to the hook. It was not a cry he recognized but he saw a dark blur rush by. The young man that Evan seemed to know. They had tried to block the path. It was something but not quite enough as he felt the hook plunged into him and he had to fight off the Entity to not have it take a hold of him and kill him. The Trapper looked around and set a trap down near David and walked a short ways to start gathering traps around him. He was going to be bait it seemed. He hadn’t heard a gate open yet. Perhaps they were waiting to have all ready until he was caught. Now it became a rescue mission for the others.

The issue was everyone else was on death hook. By the time the Trapper went to check on the gates he was left with around four traps surrounding him. He hardly could see a way to him that didn’t have someone getting their foot caught. Taking the time to disarm would alert the Killer. However entering his view was the young man followed by Evan. Evan was fine but the other was still injured from earlier. This man came up to a trap and went to disarm it while Evan was looking around. Upon hearing it snap shut the black male quickly plucked him from the Entity’s grasp trying to back up to give David a clear path out of the death traps. However they took a misstep into a neighboring trap. Upon the cry of pain they quickly were waving him and Evan away. However David could see a look of conflict play out on Evan’s face when he went up to free his companion.

* * *

He couldn’t let Philip die like that. He shot a look to David to get the hell out. The Brit seemed to hesitate until they heard the Trapper approaching them. Evan turned his attention back to Philip to free him. Once he got Philip out he tried to make sure he put himself between the Killer and him. He felt the blade barely miss its mark to shoo him however he held fast to the plan and trying to stay in line to Philip running head of him. He was banking that David had enough of a head start to the gate to slam the switch down. He didn’t notice the Killer taking a slight side step and managed to squeeze past him and lash out at Philip right as they got the gate in sight. It was sliding open when this occurred. He heard Philip hit the ground.

Anger fueled his next move as he did what he could to quickly stand between the Killer and Philip who pushed himself up a little bit. This move seemed to give the Killer a slight pause. His masked face seemed to look past Evan as he stepped in to collect. He had to break the unspoken silence again.

“Get going! Both of you!” Evan yelled out not taking his eyes off his Killerself.

“What about yourself?!” David called out waiting by the threshold as Philip had managed to push himself into the direction to start crawling his way to the exit.

“I ain’t letting him take him,” Evan slowly started to walk backwards to maintain that he was keeping Philip’s escape attempt covered, “Now get going David. Meg is already out at this point from this trial.”

He sensed it was only Philip, the Killer and himself left. The ground around them glowing a hideous orange color indicating they only had a limited amount of time left to be here. It was at this that he felt the machete come down on his shoulder. He figured it was to spook him into leaving and leaving behind Philip. He wasn’t. He met the ground for his defiance. It was strange as he watched the Trapper loom over them walking slowly next to them as if guiding them out. Perhaps it finally registered on the Trapper who they were. A moment of conflict had played out in their favor.

* * *

When Fog became campfire in the distance Philip felt Evan leaning on him which he felt to do the same. It was a draining experience and the pair knew it. For the Wraith it was a chaotic time of hitting the ground running. So suddenly he found himself in the role of Survivor. Evan did say he would try to tell him what was going on. The trial they just went through was against Evan himself. Yet he had Evan as a fellow Survivor at the same time. His head pulsed at trying to make sense of it all at this time. Waiting for them were Meg and David.

“Oh man I didn’t think any of you were making it,” Meg said, “I waited for so long but then just took my leave when you guys got your door open.”

“We barely got ours opened,” David shot her a look, “Evan managed to stall for us.”

“I don’t think that would work a second time,” Evan breathed out a tired laugh as he and Philip took a seat, “We were just lucky.”

“He should have just snagged him, but he didn’t,” David shook his head, “It was odd watching that. Trapper seemed to hesitate in the end.”

It was Meg’s turn to give David a look however this one was more quizzical than annoyed.

“Evan spoke up at the gate against him. Telling him off pretty much,” David said.

“And he listened?” Meg asked.

“I’m not sure about that,” Evan spoke up at that, “He knew he would only get one kill that entire match because the other would just crawl out while he hooked. Perhaps he didn’t see the point given how close we were.”

“So you two seem to know each other,” David then looked at him, “From what we were told he doesn’t fit the description of the others with you Evan.”

Before he could speak Evan answered, “He is from a different trial I had before being given a space in the campsite.”

“Oh?” David blinked.

“Think it was only one trial before this one?” Philip tried to play along even though he had no real clue where this was going.

“So what’s your name?” Meg asked with a smile.

He paused for a bit before quietly saying, “A lot of people just call me Phil.”

“Alrighty well think we are out on usable tents at this time so could see if Evan is willing to share his with you until we can get one for you. Since you two seem to have worked together in at least one other trial together,” Meg said getting up as did David.

“That’s fine, follow us and I can take you to my tent,” Evan said. The four made their way to the campsite parting ways leaving him with Evan.

Getting to the tent in question they crawled inside. A moment of silence before Evan spoke up again.

“I did not think you would get dragged into this too,” Evan sighed quietly.

“What is even going on?” he asked.

“I ain’t entirely sure but Herman, who also got forced into this as well, thinks the Entity is trying to expand its feeding options,” Evan said.

“Doesn’t the Entity already feed upon us Killers?” He tilted his head a bit in thought.

“It is never full. You and I know this,” Evan said grimly.

“Wait so other than you, me, Herman…how many others so far?” He asked.

“Sally and Max,” Evan answered.

“How come they don’t know who we are? As in who we actually are?” He continued with his growing number of questions of the situation.

Evan shrugged, “Perhaps most of us look just different enough from our normal role’s appearance that it hadn’t dawned on them yet. However I am pretty sure once Max finds his way to the campsite it should be clear to them what’s going on.”

“Evan, if we are being put into their roles does that mean they are being put into ours?” he asked only to see Evan was nodding in the middle of the question.

“Least two so far. Meg and Feng have found themselves in our shoes at least once,” Evan said.

He sighed, “It must have been scary to them.”

“Perhaps but also I think they for that moment get to feel what we feel during trials. The Entity’s pressure to do our task and guidance,” Evan said.

“So what happens now?” He asked looking around the tent.

“Well either you will be taken to trial again or sleep will find you meaning you likely are returning to your usual role,” Evan yawned, “which I am feeling the later. I would swing by Herman’s place when you can. He’s been trying to keep a record of these strange events.”

“I see,” he felt his lids grow heavy, “I’ll try…”

The pair took to different sides of the tent letting sleep take a hold of them.


	8. Chapter 8

When Evan awoke to familiar surroundings he groaned. All at once he felt he had both displeased and pleased the Entity. Leaving him with just dull pain. He hated it. The pain was just present enough to be noticeable but dull enough to let him think straight. He got to hear himself yell at himself. He was made very aware of nearly sacrificing not just himself but a fellow Killer put into the role of Survivor. He had listened to himself. That is why he let them go. He felt he needed to check on Philip hoping they were back in the junkyard. He got up from his cot and prepared a few traps to take with him in case he was taken to a trial during the trip.

From estate grounds to broken cars Evan roamed the grounds keeping an ear out. However it was devoid of the sounds of a growling dog that normally marked the presence of Philip. Perhaps he did take Evan’s advice to visit Herman as soon as he could. Which led to the next stop as he himself was going to try to visit the Doctor. He wanted to purge this painful conflict of memory. He let the Fog guide him to the hospital. He strode through the building going directly to Herman’s office door. Dimly he heard the sound of paper shuffling and a chair creaking about but no voices. He knocked loudly.

“Yes?” Herman’s voice called out.

“We need to talk Doc,” he replied before he took a hold of the handle to let himself in which he did so.

“My two in a row, and the exact individual I was wanting to see,” Herman grinned making a gesture for Evan to take a seat by the desk.

Currently the Doctor had his headgear on but not strapped in. Perhaps he had been in the process of settling in before he had visitors. Without the clips Evan could see the glowing eyes managed to look tired. Perhaps this was a moment of pause from a long run of trials.

“I take it Philip was with you earlier?” He asked taking a seat. He could see on the desk scattered about were papers and folders.

One was marked with Philip’s name. Then saw a folder marked with his own name. Of course Herman kept records of not just the Survivors but fellow Killers around here. A different paper from a quick glance were notes detailing about the current situation of the roles being reversed. It was in the process of recounting the trial Philip and Evan had just went through.

“You just missed him,” Herman said as he begun to shuffle some papers and set the folder marked _Ojomo, Philip_ aside.

“Well I did tell him to come to you. Given that one you are making a record of this shit and two you yourself are going through this as well,” he said.

“Which I am pleased you did. I had wondered when another of us would be forced into this situation,” Herman nodded. He was pulling to him Evan’s folder to pull a few papers from it to set near him and the ongoing report still in front of him, “So I have his end of the trial you two were in. What can you tell me about it?” He had picked a pen up waiting.

Evan did what he could to sort his thoughts which was difficult. More than once he expressed his hatred of the situation as he could not fully tell one thought from another. He watched Herman nodding here or there to his recounting. It was only when he expressed a wish to be purged of the memory that Herman spoke up again.

“It seems you suffered worse than when I went through that exact same scenario. Then again I didn’t talk to myself during the trial,” Herman chuckled, “It must be quite the thing to do what you couldn’t do the first time.”

“The hell do you mean by that?” His eyes became cold at hearing that.

“Well according to our previous chats you wanted to go against dear old Dad but failed. Only to be the exact thing he wanted you to be. Here you are again given a chance to go against a figure of authority. This time our patron,” Herman said with a smile as he jotted down some notes.

He growled at that, “I don’t need you playing shrink with me again Herman.”

“Am I wrong?” Was all the other said his smile wider. They knew full well what button they were laying into.

He bit his lip to hold back the urge to get up and drag the Doctor from his chair. Instead huffed as a response.

“I’ll take that as I am right which I am,” Herman scribbled into one of the papers, “Which does lead to further thoughts on why we are being forced into such a reversal of roles. So far it has been those of us who have what I would call an emotional range. This range involves things that isn’t just violence and anger. Some of us like Max and Philip have a level of trauma that can always be called upon. You yourself have an emotion that can be called upon and it was pulled out in the trial you just went through.”

“What emotion is being pulled from you then?” He asked letting himself ease from his moment of anger of the earlier comments the Doctor made.

Herman set the pen down in thought, “I haven’t quite figured that out other than perhaps curiosity. I know of us so far I’ve been the most fascinated by these events. It’s been an experience that lets me see into the subject’s lives more than I have previously.”

“And when they find out? Max has yet to arrive to the campsite and its going to be plain to them who he is,” He said trying to shift the topic along knowing Herman can just talk his ear off at this point on the current topic.

“Oh they will. If isn’t his presence it’s mine,” Herman leaned back into his chair, “Feng is literally staring at the truth of the matter yet she is in her own fog of denial. I told her to find proof that it isn’t just the Survivors having to play our role. I can tell from how she looks at me while I’m in her role’s shoes. She has some idea but doesn’t know how to express it…or accept it which I think is the bigger hurdle for her.”

“And I know you won’t just tell her,” he shook his head, “I know that about you.”

There was a delightfully manic laugh at that, “Has Meg figured it out?”

“She has not said anything if she has,” he shook his head.

The smile relaxed after a moment, “Are you still wanting the memory gone? Of the trial?”

“Yes,” he answered.

“I don’t think it would help you like you think it would,” Herman shook his head, “Besides due to the nature of being forced into both roles at once has a wiping nature of its own. One side will overtake the memory eventually is what I have found. I only still have some vague notion about the one I had against myself strictly due to the notes I made waking from that trial.”

He nodded slowly hearing that, “Which side?”

Herman sighed his tone going oddly quiet, “Whichever was the more vivid.”

He raised a brow at the shift, “You were left with the Survivor’s side weren’t you?”

The other nodded, “I was fortunate that I was not hunted straight into the Entity’s maw even though I should have been. My trial against myself was here,” gesturing around himself to mean the building, “I know the ins and outs of this place. It had not dawned on the Killer me who I was apparently,” He tugged out a sheet and read out the observations that came from that trial.

“I see. I think he acknowledged who I was. He looked at me when he hooked me the first time. He spared me and Philip. I don’t expect it to repeat if we are in that situation again. And you should be prepared for that as well,” He said afterwards.

“It has been duly noted,” Herman nodded, “Perhaps the Killer portion of you in that trial was unsure what would occur if it killed the Survivor you given that you were in both positions at once,” before he got up from his desk, “If you will both myself and here are needed shortly.”

Evan only dimly felt the air around them shift in a way that told him the hospital was about to be pulled to a trial. He ended up following Herman out the door and through the reception area to see where the Fog took them. Returning to the junkyard still no sign of the Wraith. Perhaps he too was in a trial. Stepping again in the fog this time he returned to his own place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is a rather short chapter, but the scene that was after this did not flow right if I kept them as one single chapter. So instead opted to break them apart.


	9. Chapter 9

The Doctor had given her quite the thing to chew on. To Feng it was quite possible that it wasn’t just the Survivors being made to change roles on the whims of the Entity. It likely was also doing the same to the Killers but she needed to prove the later. Her best chance was with Carter. Her associated Survivor. However it was hard to see Carter as actually her associated Killer. If he was wouldn’t he have already known everyone’s names? Yet Carter seemed to pick up what was expected of his role in the twisted trials fairly quickly. Perhaps that was just how he was as a person. A smart and quick learner. The Doctor and him seemed to have similar fields of interest. Both were rather intimidating to be near. Carter was just the more approachable of the two.

She kept an eye on his area of the campsite waiting for him to show up and go from there. She needed to not have a trial interfere. Eventually she thought she saw him at the smaller fire. He was busy going over the notepad he always seemed to have on him. Writing by flickering light. She made her way announcing her presence to not scare him. He jumped slightly at this and jammed the pen and paper away before greeting her.

“Hello Feng,” He smiled.

“So I went to the Doctor with what I told you about. You know that dream,” She started as she took a seat at a log bench near him.

“What was his thought?” Carter asked pushing up his glasses.

“He finds it odd. He’s never been to the place we were at,” She said.

“So we went to a place that not even an existing Killer has gone to?” Carter hummed a bit in interest with the information, “What did he say about the other thought you had?”

“He is pretty certain that it is correct to guess you and I are associated to each other. Based on how I behaved in the trial the three of us had together,” She glanced from him to the fire.

“Though what does that say about him and I? I know you said he gets curious of new people,” Carter then asked.

“I’m still trying to figure that out. Was thinking of having you and him meet outside of a trial,” She said, “I likely would be with you since it would be your first non trial Fog trip.”

“Do you think it would be smart to have such a meeting?” the other asked.

“Well other than just seeing how future trials go with you and him,” She shrugged before her next and more pressing thought, “A bit of a tangent but I had been curious. Do you mind if you can take your glasses off for a moment?” She then asked him.

Carter gave her a puzzled look, “Why?”

“I want to see something. As I told you I visited the Doctor to hear his take on my dream due to his role,” She said.

“And how does that relate to my glasses?” Carter asked leaning back just as she started to lean forward.

“Humor me will you? Besides you can’t be more blind than Dwight is without them,” She laughed a little making a motion to be handed the glasses.

“That still didn’t answer my question,” the other shook their head.

She pushed herself back and dug into her cardigan pocket for a pair of busted glasses and held them up near him and looked between them. The busted pair were smaller than his. Same color but not size. Different shape of lens. She still wanted to see him without them. It would perhaps dispel the horrible what if that came from her discussion with the Doctor.

“It just a strange little thought but it’s hard to picture it with them on,” She tried to explain but wasn’t finding the right words at the moment.

Carter gave her a mildly annoyed look, “That really doesn’t tell me much.”

“I’m sorry. It’s just an odd thought that sounds silly. You and him, the Doctor, have a similar feel. I just wanted to see what you looked like without the glasses,” She tried again.

Silence was between them before Carter reached up to take a hold of his glasses and pulled them down, “Are you thinking he and I are connected?” He held them in his hands and looked at her.

It was eerie. She felt a wave of goosebumps the longer she stared into his eyes. In the firelight they were a light brown that had a glow to them. It was as if she was looking at a pre-Entity version of her associated Killer. Similar shape to the face and its features. However instead of horribly dead burned scarred up tissue his face was clear and vibrant with life. His brows were thin and were somewhat hidden by how large the frames of his glasses were. No marks from the straps of a headgear and clips. She barely caught the motion of him trying to put his glasses back on when she got up and set a hand on top of the frames gently pushing them back down. She was taking in what she was seeing. They looked rather similar and yet they had been in the same space in a trial. They can’t be the same person in both roles at once. How would that work?

* * *

An unknown was before him and Herman had froze at the action. He had not expected her to reach out. However he was having to squint now that she was much closer to him. As a Killer his vision had been somewhat corrected by the Entity that only shifted if he brought in a particular quirk. He was reminded of what he use to see. Up close Feng had become a pile of flesh wrapped in purple. The squinting only gave back some of her features. Her dark eyes settling on him. He only had what he saw before she got up closer to him to read from. He had seen the flash of fear in her face. Had it really been just a matter of removing an item for her to see? She backed away to the log she sat on. Her features easier to see again. She still held in her other hand the broken glasses.

Feng finally spoke up, “I guess I am feeling you and him have some connection. Just I’m not sure on the what of it entirely. Which is why I feel the visit would be of some use to both of us.”

“Well what is your working thought to the connection?” He offered once she finally had returned to her seat. He slipped his glasses back on again pushing them into place.

“You two are similar…without the glasses you remind me of him even. It’s rather scary how similar you two look,” She said before her gaze fell onto the glasses in her hand.

“If you think it would help we can go. You know him more than I do,” He said. It sounded so odd to say. He should know himself the best. However, oddly in the moment he didn’t feel that was correct.

What had allowed him to be in both places at once? Sure it was probably the Entity but he felt there was a deeper thought to it than that. A level of separation had to of occurred to make it work. It wasn’t until he was back to his normal role that he felt the two roles smash into each other over the trial both were present for. His memories had blended the roles. What part of him was he currently? What part of him was still acting as his normal role in the Fog? It was an unknown that was a bit scary but also led to burning curiosity.

“Doc?” A voice called out to them and the pair turned.

Approaching them was a young man whose dark hair was thin in places. His white undershirt dirty along with the jeans he wore. What stood out were his features. Misshapen and how he walked there was a limp to it. He was waving at the pair as he came up to them.

Herman had to be quick, “Max, I told you before I am no real doctor. Regardless I’m glad to see you found your way here at last,” forcing himself to smile as if to be greeting a friend.

“Don’t stop you lookin’ the part,” Max grinned a bit.

* * *

Feng felt her body go cold now having this man up close to her. How did she not see the deformities in the trial she had as a Killer? Perhaps too lost in the moment of having to figure out what she was suppose to do back then. This was clearly the Hillbilly. Hell even the same name that the Survivors learned from Claudette’s attempt to make civil contact with that Killer. However she wanted certainty. Her gaze drifted back to Carter who was motioning for Max to join his side of the fire.

“So where have you been? The others who were in that mall thing already have been here,” Carter asked.

Max looked up to the dark sky briefly, “Busy. Thinkin’ its been having a kick throwing me into trial after trial. I ain’t seen Sally in some time though, have you?”

Carter shook his head, “No. What about Evan?”

“Yeah, had him at least one other time with me,” Max nodded, “Has it just been us Doc?”

That was when Carter seemed to pause for some time, “If there has been anymore I have not heard yet.”

Max seemed to know what he was talking about when he looked up. He was aware of the Entity. He also seemed a bit spaced from everything around him as he hadn’t really seemed to notice her. However hearing her name snapped her back to the present.

“Max this is Feng by the way,” Carter was introducing her.

She saw Max give him a look before he said, “Well yeah ain’t that the one that chased us?”

“Speaking of that...Max you would not happen to be normally a Killer would you?” Feng asked going for a direct question.

Max gave her a long look, “I mean who else would you think I am?”

“Well it would solve a mystery for some of us…and…,” She looked to Carter who had quietly taken out his notepad and pen and was writing in it, “Doctor, how long were you going to keep up the act?”

What she got as a response was strangely rather modest given who she realized Carter was, “I figured it would be eventually known without my input. However if we are to continue this perhaps we hold this in a less public area?”

She was going to tell him no. This needed to be told quickly to all in the campsite. This space they had felt safe from the reaches of the Killers and now the Killers had ended up in this very space. Albeit they seemed to lack their actual powers when sent here to act as Survivors. How to even explain this then came to mind. It was at the moment a rather jumbled mess. So far only it seemed like her and Meg, as she later learned, had gone through the experience of being Killers.

“Do we even know how to explain this?” Carter asked before he looked around perhaps wondering if anyone else happened to be hearing them.

“...not really,” Feng sighed, “But we should at least tell Dwight. He can relay it to the others-”

“No. Not when we aren’t entirely sure of the exact nature of the situation,” Carter argued, “I had kept quiet due to yes I wanted to see where things would go, but also I have no experience with this situation.”

“I think Dwight should outta know,” Max spoke up, “If more of us are put into this,” He gestured to himself before continuing, “It means more of them are put into our spot. They outta get to know Doc.”

The now revealed Doctor sighed with agitation, “No no you make a good point. We shall continue this with Dwight present,” He slipped the pad and pen away getting up from his log chair and waited for the other two, “…Feng do you mind leading us to his place? I literally only been there once and most of these little tin huts are identical to me.”

She almost laughed at how he sounded having to admit he needed her help, it was oddly refreshing. Then again she also found herself referring to him as Carter still. Now that she was thinking on it during the walk over she thought she seen something with the name Carter in the Doctor’s office. She hid the smile the best she could as she led them up to Dwight’s place and banged on the front wall. When Dwight answered she saw past him Claudette was sitting down already.

“Right so um this would be the last member of Carter’s group has just arrived,” She started stepping enough to show who was with her.

“Oh my god wait that Max?” Claudette leaned a little to get a better view.

Max waved a little at that, “Hi, can we speak inside?”

“Oh yeah, should be able to get everyone in here,” Dwight laughed a little as the three came in.

Once everyone settled in was when Claudette spoke looking to Carter’s direction, “Not to sound alarmed, but your last member really does look like one of the Killers found here in the Fog. Just perhaps in a less agonized state.”

“Well that is what we came to talk about,” Carter began, “though first, have either of you had strange dreams? I mean beyond what this place makes you dream about?”

“What dreams do you think this place makes us have? Just so we are on the same page,” Claudette asked back giving Carter a look.

“He means anything other than the blank ones and web dreams,” Feng spoke up.

Dwight looked a bit confused, “Not that I know of?” before he glanced to Claudette.

“...I had one where I was in a trial in the Huntress’s forest but I as the one seeking people out. I don’t really recall that well who as I spent most of it traveling through plant roots?” Her tone drifted as she tried to recall the dream.

Feng took over from there, “That is the kind of dream we were asking about. I had a similar dream except I was some electric thing in a mall. Carter’s group were the people I was after in that dream…so when I saw Carter arrive to the camp I realized perhaps that wasn’t a dream.”

“That makes it sound like you two were Killers?” Dwight looked to the girls, “Yet you are still with us?”

“Exactly,” Max said, “…both of you were scary to be against.”

Carter blinked, “You had not mentioned to me about Claudette.”

“Told you Doc I’ve been sent to trial after trial. Hardly get to breathe as of late,” Max huffed.

“...Doc?” Dwight questioned.

Claudette bit her lip a bit before speaking, “So if I am caught up. Max you admit you are the same Max I know of then…”

Max nodded at that.

“That makes you a Killer as well then Carter?” Dwight asked his attention to Carter.

“Well what do you think?” Carter threw his own question in response.

However Feng could hear some smugness to the tone perhaps holding back a laugh to the question. This question from him had caused Claudette and Dwight to shift uncomfortably. They did not want the answer but it was clearly in the same space as them currently. Before they replied to it Max spoke up. How he said it was more of a request than anything.

“It ain’t just us. Sally and Evan as well,” Max said, “We ain’t got an idea of why this is going on. Until otherwise we should maybe work somethin’ out?”

“...why have none of you told us?” Dwight asked, “…like from the start?”

“We were scared,” Max answered, “Well think that was it for the lot of us…well maybe not Doc,” He glance to Carter.

* * *

“I think the word you were looking for was uncertain. Which that can be scary I will give you that,” Herman added, “The variables that come with going from one role to another were and are still jarring. Even for me. Some of us indeed were truly scared to let it be known for they were still grasping what was occurring. Some of us have not had a chance to feel well…humanly normal in some time. We don’t know what is going on as Max said,” he pushed up his glasses that had started to slip down his nose, “And actually, we did tell you who we were. Just not the names you normally call us.”

Claudette shook her head hearing this, “…okay so it is now plain who you two are. Sally as well now that I think about it I recall the last time I saw her she looked a bit hurt from how Nea reacted to meeting her.”

He raised a brow, “Sally has been here at least one other time? I have not seen her here or in a trial with me since the one I had against Feng.”

Max frowned hearing this, “She probably been wantin’ to talk to her Survivor since she found herself like this,” He gestured to himself, “Sally ain’t been able to speak after what the Entity dids to her. She cans write though.”

“What would the two even have to talk about?” Feng asked.

Max shrugged, “I don’t know perhaps just talk after not being able to do so for some while?”

Feng and Claudette nodded hearing this.

“As part of our means of catching the camp up we’ll maybe talk to Nea after this meeting,” Claudette offered.

“That leaves Evan,” Dwight said, “…I guess we can talk to him about this if he ends up at the camp again. Though that also means the other arrival is likely a Killer as well. Think I heard from David and Meg that guy was named Philip.”

“He goes through enough as it is,” Max gritted his teeth at hearing this, “why he get involved in this too?” before looking to Herman.

He shrugged a little, “Well Max I suppose it is due to like you he has trauma for the Entity to feed on.”

“Who is Philip?” Feng asked not quite hearing about this arrival until now.

“You would know him as the Wraith,” He answered simply, “…did he arrive on his own or was he with anyone else?” He actually knew the answer to this.

“He seemed to just show up right before a trial began. He went with Meg and David. Evan was present at the time if I recall right from David,” Dwight said.

He nodded at that, “I see,” he felt Claudette was still looking at him and changed his focus to her, “something to say?”

She shook her head, “No…just in thought given what seems to be going on.”

“Right so, I would suggest that you take some time to think through what we have said before sharing the news. Personally I had one experiment from this situation I had wanted to play out but Max had came in before Feng and I could look into that,” He said.

“And what is that?” Dwight asked.

“Is it possible for me to visit myself outside of a trial?” He put forth his final question he had about the situation.

* * *

Feng looked at him, “You still want to go try that visit?”

“What harm could happen?” Carter asked back, “Still have to follow the unspoken rules of outside of trial interactions. If there is a me still outside of trials while I am in this role I cannot be killed. Inflicted within an inch of my life but can not be killed outright. I accept any and all risk to myself from myself. Besides I figured if we still did that trip, you would be with me Feng. As you said you would be willing to guide me through. In your role I do not have the strong tie I normally rely on to get there unassisted. I would be surprised if I did.”

Feng then looked to the others, “I guess we should get going before we are called to trial. If that is everything?”

Claudette nodded, “It’s just a lot to really sit through. Though Max do you mind following me once we head out of Dwight’s?”

Max looked to her before nodding, “Sure thing! Hopefully I gets to breathe for a while this time.”

Seeing that things were settling down Feng did exit from Dwight’s hut as did the others. Going their own ways she had Carter follow her. Why was she bothering with that still, she knew who he was. The pair begun to walk past the campsite with him keeping close to her. She held a hand out a bit once they got to the edge of the fog.

“Usually we take some cloth or rope with us and tie it each other to make sure we don’t get separated in the Fog while on group scavenging trips. However I guess we are holding hands for this one as it’s just the two of us. Keep a good grip. Though with the token,” Feng glanced to the broken glasses as if to make sure it was still with her, “we should be able to get to his place with little issue. Whether he is there or not is a different matter,” She explained.

“Of course,” Carter nodded before carefully reaching to take hold of the hand giving it a firm grip.

She jumped at the strength but started to pull him into the Fog. In their travel her grip tighten as if to make sure they were still with each other. Fog became hospital and they found themselves in the reception area. He breathed loudly as the pair stepped in unhooking their hands finally.

* * *

There had been a pause but Herman took the step forward he knew where to go just as much as Feng did. Once they went through the treatment theater and to a fog glass door he gave her a look. The room beyond was lit. She knocked at the door was when he felt a stabbing type of headache occur. Clutching his head he kept his eyes to the door waiting for a response.

“Hey you alright?” Feng turned to him and saw what he was doing.

“I’m fine,” He said, the pain pulsed as he tried to play it off, “…Maybe we can’t be here at the same time? Or perhaps was whisked off before getting a chance to turn the light off?” Which prompted him to look behind them half expecting to see himself in the halls at this point.

Feng’s hand drifted to the handle and gently gave it a twist. It moved and she opened the door. She stood in the doorway for a bit before she moved to gesture him to follow her in. When Herman did so she went into the room more letting him have the doorway. From where he stood he did see himself as he last recalled before sleep had taken him. Currently on the couch with a blanket over him. The headache subsided a little as Herman had to hold back a laugh. It was just so strange to see himself like this. Just at rest. Even at rest the changes done to him were likely unnerving to most people. He glanced over towards where he knew the headgear was resting which was on a anatomical head.

“...I guess asleep?” He ventured to say finally trying to keep his voice a bit low.

“Looks that way. Usually never catch him like this,” Feng replied also trying to keep it quiet for a moment before rasing her voice, “Doctor?”

* * *

She watched as the Killer stirred at the sound. He sat up raising a hand to a temple rubbing at it. Then she had bright eyes look at her tiredly. The Doctor seemed to lack his coat at the moment. so when he had moved enough of the blanket aside she could see he still had the button up he wore under the coat along with the tie which had been tugged at to be loosened. Even the button up lacked sleeves. She could see the frayed edges of them that were a bit singed.

“I see just letting my eyes rest took the rest of me with them,” The Doctor chuckled, “So any luck on your findings?” He started to fiddle with the tie to get it to where it normally would be before his gaze shifted from it to the company she brought with her. She watched as he seemed to straighten at the sight. Small sparks jumped about his exposed cables briefly.

“Findings?” Carter asked as he remained in the doorway.

She started to look between the two men. For what she had just learned from Carter it still was odd to see the pair in the same space for being the same person. However before she could answer for Carter the Doctor answered instead.

“I have been told you already know about the strange incident involving her being in a trial as a Killer instead of her normal role. You were one of the subjects of her trial,” The Doctor said before moving his neck around producing a cracking sound.

“That would be correct,” Carter nodded.

The Killer got up and was between her and Carter, “Quite the subject you are,” sparks from exposed cables flitted about with these words. A grin on his face.

Feng watched Carter look at him seemingly unafraid of the display before him, “I could say the same to you. Did you enjoy my sample?”

“I am not that kind of doctor,” The Killer said the grin wider before it became a laugh, “Please join us inside. You are letting the warm air out,” The Doctor stepped away to let Carter in.

Carter complied and came in shutting the door but leaned his back into it. The moment of tense panic subsided in her seeing the pair were going to be civil for the moment. What did Carter mean by sample?

“What did you do?” She looked to her companion.

“He spat at me when I got him strung up the first time,” The Doctor said rather giddily, “Subjects like him eventually become pacified from such behavior so it was refreshing to observe. It has been some time last I had a reaction like that.”

“I mean I do not blame him given what you do,” she commented.

The Killer turned away from the pair to fold up the blanket tossing it on the back of the couch, “So Feng any findings?”

“You said that there might be a possibility that it isn’t just us Survivors going through this. The Killers might as well. However the issue I have is if so-how are you and him existing at the same time,” She said looking between the two men.

“You think he’s…” The Doctor drifted his gaze falling back to Carter before he strode to his desk, “Yet if he and I are suppose to be one and the same then wouldn’t I have already known about the place your trial took place in?”

“And he,” She gestured to her companion, “Would have already known our names. Hence why I’m unsure. You two seem to not have a shared memory.”

Carter offered at hearing this, “So far my understanding of this Entity is it doesn’t care about the laws of time. Feng and I are from very different periods of time. It’s possible, Doctor, that you and I are the same individual but our whens are just mere minutes or even seconds apart. If that is the case then it doesn’t matter the universe as well as the when. Which keeps it open for us being the same yet not quite exactly the same person.”

“What year was it for you before you arrived here?” The Doctor asked slowly as he seemed to take in what Carter was proposing.

“1982,” Carter said, “Least I think it was.”

She thought she saw a twitch of some emotion at hearing this. The Killer tugged at a drawer pulling out a trio of folders. She was close enough to see one was labeled with Carter’s name. The others she could not see. She then felt the Doctor was looking to her.

“Could I have the both of you sit for a moment?” He asked.

“Why?” She asked in response.

“I don’t like people hovering about when I’m working with my notes,” The Doctor said, “You have been around me long enough to know that.”

“Right,” She scooted to the couch and gave Carter a look to join her which he did.

* * *

It was so strange to refer to himself in what felt like third person. However Herman had pushed through his thought without pause. Universes did not matter to the Entity. This latest series of events seemed to indicate this. It had pulled things from non earthly locations. Even fictional media was not safe from the Entity. This had often led to the question of what is fiction anymore if out there was a universe where the fiction was real. It had been a thought that became too much of a frightful unknown to him as this greatly opened up the potential worlds the Entity could drag in to do the endless cycle of chases and death.

“Well,” The Doctor sat his desk chair pulling at a folder and seemed to take some time to read the contents, “I was told that you and I actually might have something or things in common. Perhaps that would explain the feeling I had when we first met.”

Herman sat up a bit straighter, “And that feeling was?”

A smile formed again, “You have an air of familiarity to me. I can’t place it. If we go by the logic that we are the same person it would resolve many things at once. However if we use the other way then what could make me feel that way towards you?” The Doctor asked his blazing eyes fixed upon him.

Herman let his eyes meet the Killer’s, “You and I both studied the same field. Albeit I am taking a guess based on what you had inflicted on us in the trial we had together.”

A delighted laugh sounded at this as the Doctor leaned in on his desk, “Really now? Where were you studying at? I understand you were a graduate student.”

“Yale, there was an advanced program I was placed in rather quickly,” He responded.

“So was I, possibly we were in the same program?” The Doctor then asked.

“If that was the case we just never spoken to each other. Too busy with our projects I suppose,” Herman offered, "Again if we use the logic of us not being the same person."

* * *

Feng had let them talk. She had started to pay more attention to their voices, how they sounded now that they were in the same room. Sure the Doctor had a quality that was unnatural and distorted but the tones. What words were being used. Carter’s voice against the Doctor’s was nearly the same just lower and unaltered. Her eyes wandered to the walls of certification papers that hung in this office. Her eyes landed about where the name of the recipient would be and stared.

She felt her face burn. She had always known that the Doctor had a real name. She had even asked him once about those papers. She never really had ever called him by the name printed on those things. Calling him Herman would come off as weird to her despite him calling her by her name. Perhaps there was some level of professionalism? Given their roles it was odd she felt that way. Yet they call the members of Legion by their names and they knew a few of the other Killer’s actual names. Yet it was those papers that reminded her that her associated Killer had a name beyond the one given by her fellow Survivors. She turned to look at Carter.

“Carter would your name be a first or last name?” She asked even though she knew what she would hear as the answer.

“Last name. I got use to people calling me that over my first name,” Carter admitted, “My first name is Herman.”

Burning became intense fire to her cheeks at this, “Doctor isn’t that your name as well?” She looked to the Killer who at the moment had been looking at the same wall she did.

“Could be coincidence,” The Doctor finally said but she saw he was writing something down.

She shook her head at this, “It’s too much of one.”

“Alright then what is your thought then about all this?” The Doctor asked pausing his writing.

“I don’t know anymore,” She got up and started to head to the door, “For being the same person you two are still different…I just don’t know.”

“If it helps you, I don’t know either,” The Doctor frowned, “A lot adds up but there is also just something missing to me or feels as such.”

“Maybe that is the difference?” Carter wondered aloud, “As I said we could easily be one and the same but a moment was split between us,” He got up to follow her.

Right she probably shouldn’t leave Carter behind if he wants to get back to the campsite safely. No matter who he is she needed him if she wanted to fully understand this new level of madness thrown their way by the Entity. As they left the office things were rather quiet between the two of them. It wasn’t until they got to the reception area that Carter spoke up finally.

“I guess if it was the case of not just a when but universe as well would explain to a degree how we can both be here,” He said.

“Degree?” She gave him a look.

“I am still trying to figure out how best to put words to what we just went through,” Carter said, “Because this leads to further questions to even my own notes.”

“Like what?” She pressed on.

“I don’t have them on hand those are in the office,” He pointed back the way they had came from.

“What about your notepad?” She pointed to his coat pocket.

“Those aren’t going to have the ones we need right now,” He shook his head.

“What notes do you have with you now?” She asked.

Before Carter could respond the pair felt a sensation pull onto them. The call. They were going to a trial. They would have to wait for afterwards to continue this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally she gets it. Just took her a good number of chapters but we got there!  
> \--  
> One might have noticed I got this updated at the same time as the original fic I was writing. Mainly due to I knew both this story and that one had not seen an update for a while. Holiday schedule really came a knocking on me. I am hoping once that settles down I can put focus to these again...


	10. Physician–Patient

By the time the pair returned to the campfire waiting for them were David and a woman that seemed to make Herman pause briefly before he caught up to Feng to sit down as well. This woman was in white, Sally.

“Killer is not here yet,” David said.

“I can feel that,” He looked to where the Killer would lurk normally.

“Been a while hasn’t it?” Sally was looking to him.

“Indeed, take it you have been already given a spot?" He asked politely given the company they were with.

She nodded, “Not far from you.”

There chat was cut short by the fog that swirled about them. To the fire were bundles of flowers and twigs. Herman knew he would have to seek out the chests to maybe get a toolbox as he went into this current trial with out one. Fog became soft rain in a large forest. Not seeing a large stone temple structure upon his vision coming into focus again knew where they had gone. To Ana’s little slice of Fog called Mother’s Dwelling. He could see the cabin from where he was and carefully started to make his way to the structure. It was a risk of being found if the Killer decided to check this central building as well, but it would least give him an idea of who it was they were against.

By the time he got up the stairs and towards the generator he could hear it was being worked on but only barely. He came into the generator’s view and heard it clunk as Feng pushed herself up to be more visible to him before dipping back down to get back to work. The generator had sparked oddly when she had stopped working on it. This told the pair that a certain Hex was in play. He had spooked her and silently shook his head holding back a laugh before he went to give her a hand.

They had gotten to it nearly there when he heard Feng take a sharp breath and mutter something that he didn’t quite catch. They were so close to done but he was hearing a strange noise in their area. The sounds of stringed instruments. Who was this? He almost missed a needed connection when in his hands the generator came to life. The strings becoming louder, the Killer, and they were about to see who was at this generator. Herman took the short drop down to meet the ground and tried to hug the building to maybe have the Killer think he just went into the trees. He hadn’t heard Feng drop down with him so that meant she was trying to use the vegetation around the completed generator as cover. The cords were harsh and pounding as the Killer was roaming above him. He could hear their harsh breathing. He knew this breathing.

Herman waited for sometime before he heard a high yelp above him and the sound of blood being cast aside. Feng dropped into his view injured as something had stabbed itself into her shoulder. Not far behind her was the Killer. His robes in tatters and a bloodied cane in his grip. He let out a harsh roar as he bolted after her. He had not considered the chance of being against a current patient of his. He watched as the one the Survivors called the Blight smashed themselves into a tree gaining another attempt to charge after Feng. His cane held high for another swing. Feng was trying to use the trees to break up his charges. However each tree was letting him have another chance. Herman lost track of the pair as they went further away from the cabin. He turned to head back inside and spotted a set of stairs leading down. A chest is always in the basement. He went to see what he could find down there.

* * *

Sally watched from across the forest a yellow figure come into view. They had gotten injured. A quirk of hers had kicked in and she could see they were still being chased after based on the movements. She had nearly lost track of what she was doing when she felt the need to pull up on a tube quickly feeling a rush of oil in her hands. She stopped working on the generator to get up and see if she could be of some help to the figure seeing it was smaller than Herman. Perhaps she could destroy the totem that David had muttered about when they first started to work on the generator.

As she got closer to the injured figure was when a high squeal was heard as the figure was knocked down. The voice she knew was Feng. She crept to a tree trying to stay near but not easily visible. She was going to simply snag Feng off the hook at the first possible chance. The long wail of being put to a hook broke her thoughts and the sound she heard next made her freeze. It was an animalistic roar that she has heard before at least by pitch. It somewhat blended into the the rather aggressive string noise she was hearing. Rushing past her was the Killer. It was who she thought it was, the Blight. And from what she could guess was perhaps he saw something after placing Feng on the hook.

Things had taken a turn. It was strange to go against someone that she considered a bit of a friend. A strange friend but a friend. A man that had in the past done her great harm but she had let that go when she could have kept the anger. Instead she took him into her space in the ruins of Crotus Prenn. Given him a place to go between trials. She had came to see the Blight as a companion. However now, he was no friend only her potential death. The strings died down letting her feel she could do the rescue safely. She had gotten Feng patched up when another generator was completed. Likely the one that David and her had been working on.

* * *

David looked up from his completed work hearing the distant noise of strings being played. He had seen Carter bounding towards him with the Blight not far behind him charging at him. In Carter’s hand was a medical kit. He almost pushed himself off the completed gen to help with his last minute turn that led to a clang as the Killer’s cane struck the machine instead of him. David himself had only just gotten a good couple steps back when the Killer caught his gaze and changed targets seeing there was someone nearby versus the person he previously was in a chase with.

David let out a swear when he got hit as there was hardly a gap between them at the start of this chase. The burst of speed he was given was able to put some distance. It was short lived however as he heard the cry behind him of the Blight bounding after him. Passing a tree he heard the Killer rebound from there and this time cane held high looking to lash out. He tried to duck into a set of crumbling walls. He had banked on a tighter space might make it harder for the Blight to bounce and actually be on target. He heard an agitated noise as the Killer follow him into the area and indeed got a bit tangled up in the space. He had just about left the space when he felt something catch him in the leg and he fell face first into the dirt. He had been strung up when a thunderous crack sounded. The Killer seemingly charging off to what likely they could see as the source of the sound.

From his view there was at least someone near. His guess was Carter as that was who he last saw before the Blight changed targets. The girls were further out but not together. The one he had guessed as Carter paused at what they were doing which seemed to have been at a generator and was starting to run towards him. Soon a strong grip got him pulled off rather easily. He was being tugged to follow Carter a little ways before the other started to patch him up using the medical supplies they had. Once done he found himself being led to where Carter had came from which was a generator and the two men begun work. The machine making a horrible noise when they initially came upon it. The hex was still very much a thing and it was making short work of the little progress Carter invested into it. They had gotten to about the halfway point when another generator came to life.

* * *

Feng quickly left the scene of her completed generator knowing that the Killer would try to find who was there. She heard the strings start as she fled into some trees and did what she could to duck out of sight. She heard the sound that told her the Blight had pushed off of something to change where his charge was going and the strings became louder. The scratches. He had seen her rough direction. The sound grating into her ears as she tried to slip by him being mindful where he was looking to after he had paused to inject himself of a foul orange liquid. She had to wait for him to move on, but it was a painful wait.

She spotted movement a bit past the Blight and it was white. It took her a moment to figure out it was Sally that was near. She had lost track of the nurse after being rescued by her earlier. She had to wait still. She tried to sneak slowly around paying mind when the Killer was looking around as if to get a hint to where to go next. The Blight’s head snapped to something and started to charge off taking the string noise with him. She finally let out a sound, a breath of relief as this freed her up to look around for the other lit totem.

* * *

Sally found herself with approaching string noise. She stepped behind a tree crouching to hide her figure. The noise got worse and she bolted. She heard him behind her take off after her a few seconds later. She zigged as he zagged until her luck ran a bit short and the cane dug into her shoulder. She let out a gasped cry at how sharp this pain was. She tried her best to take to a set of walls to force them into a loop of sorts. However it seemed the Blight had guessed her path. She hardly spent time on the ground when she was lifted up. She fought hard. Her struggling did throw him slightly off but it wasn’t quite enough before she felt the meat hook pierce her. This forced a loud wail out of her. Her eyes met his.

She saw a shift in his stance as their gazes met. Was there recognition? The Blight looked around him before he shifted how he stood and using his cane for support let a hand reach out to her while she dangled. She noticed it was shaking-the vile drug very much still in him. However something had caught his attention seemingly snapping him back to the trial at hand. She had never really shown all of her face to him when they were hanging out at the space shaped from her memories. If he realized who she was-was perhaps the first time he had seen her whole face. She started to look around for who could be coming to get her.

* * *

Both men had quietly cussed at the sound. Herman understood that was on him as they were so close but he wasn’t fast enough. However he also knew the pair had time to fix the mistake by the time the Killer came upon their position. He had been counting seconds in his head as he continued to wrangle the cables into place. The strings were faint but they were making ground again. It was during this a thunderous crash sounded. The Hex gone. However he sensed David had left him leaving him to try finishing this on his own. It only just needed a little more when the strings became violently near. However, before the Blight could turn during his mad dash over had paused to take in an orange syringe.

This was Herman’s chance and he knew it. With the Hex gone he was willing to free himself from the cables for a moment. He needed to force the Killer to hit him. He moved to a different side of the machine as he heard something be chucked to the ground. The cane cracked him over the shoulder shortly afterwards. He let out a yell but stuck to his plan. Instead of running away he quickly went around to the wires side and slammed out the last needed connection in place. He could hear his blood be shaken off next to him. Right in the Killer’s face did he get this machine going. He was sent to the ground with a grin on his face. It was a bold and cocky move but it was exactly what he wanted.

He had kept the grin even when he was hurled onto a hook. However it dropped when he noticed that his patient had not left him. Instead they looked at him with an intensity. Clearly his action had angered the Killer. Herman was very aware of what was possibly occurring. A term he had heard thrown around by the subjects was “camping” or when the Killer decided to just stick near the hook even if it annoyed the Entity when they did that. This behavior seemed to come out when a subject had really set a Killer off. On the one hand he somewhat was accepting this as he did just pull a bold stunt off. The trial overall was hardly in the Blight’s favor. Pretty much everyone has only been hooked once. At this point the tactic was an act of pitiful desperation.

He hung there but lifted his head enough to scan around. David had to be somewhere nearby, the other two still fairly far away. Now was the best time to slam out the final generator if the Killer wasn’t going to bother patrolling those last three machines. This was his first visit to a hook this trial he had time before the Entity would try to stab into him. Below him the Blight was looking around as if to ward off rescue attempts. A desperate animal. Too hazed by the high of the serum to perhaps fully understand what should be going on at this point in the trial. His eyes met the Killer’s as Herman stretched his arms out as if to try and free himself.

He froze at his efforts when he had the Blight step up closer to him and straighten out from his usual posture. He was using his cane to support himself as he reached out and got a hold of Herman’s glasses. Shakily they were pulled off from him. His vision now rendered the Killer before him as a tall orange glow due to they were still rather near his face. He heard a strange gargled sound. Squinting to put features back to the blob saw they had tilted their head shifting their focus between the glasses and him. Seconds later glasses still at hand the Blight turned as if sensing something.

* * *

David had been making his way to Carter. He tensed seeing the Blight turned. Had he been found? However they remained where they were. Something was in their hand that he hardly could make out until he looked to Carter who now lacked glasses. He was squinting from the hook gritting his teeth at still being up on it. Slowly the appendages of the Entity were forming around him. Time was ticking before Carter would hit the next phase of the hook. He really did look like a different person to David now, familiar but he hardly had much time to think much further as he decided he need to just try to free the other now.

The Blight tried to take a swing to protect what they had captured. David had spun just enough to have the cane hit air. He tugged hard to yank Carter off the hook and was pushing him to get out of the way. The Killer had tried to step between the two to swing out at Carter but David had taken the hit instead. Normally he would peel away but he felt he had to still force the Killer to take him down first before trying to recapture Carter. He had kept the other in his sight but he took a quick look behind to see the Blight was putting something in the pouch they carried before sprinting after the pair.

It was apparent to him that he was likely going to be taken down again after the first bounce he heard behind him and saw he didn’t have really have a way to go to force the Blight off course. He tumbled to the ground when the cane caught him in the neck and was pushed into the ground. Haggard harsh breathing over him before he felt himself lifted up to be carried to a hook. He watched as he begun to struggle on the hook that the Killer was looking quickly around before sprinting off in some direction.

* * *

Feng found herself having to split from Sally again after freeing her from the hook and getting her patched up. There was only one generator left but getting that last machine done was easier said than done depending on the spread of the last three generators. She was making her way to David after seeing he was hooked again. No sign of the Killer or Carter. After getting David she was tending to his wounds. The pair were trying to look over to keep an eye out. Eventually she saw something white approach them. Leaning on a tree was Carter who was looking behind him before he looked to the her and David joining them. Carter happen to have a medical bag on him and used what seemed to be the last of its supplies on David before she turned her attention to patch the other up. David joined her in the effort.

Carter was breathing hard and his focus was the way he had came. Feng could feel that at any moment he was ready to push the other two out of the way. Then she noticed he lacked his glasses however he was not squinting like she had seen him do before without them. Once done David and her gave the other space to stand and exchanged a set of nods. Carter had left the medical bag on the ground. The three knew they needed to find a generator but where?

Strings began to sound causing the three to scatter from the hook David was placed on. Feng found herself trying to follow Carter into a set of trees. However so did the Killer as she watched the Blight zero in on him. She followed the pair in case she could maybe help out. They had gone to a set of wooden walls where she kept a ways back. It was a moment to watch her associated Killer be in a moment in her shoes. An odd amusement to just watch on. To her Carter’s movements were fairly on point for the area they were in. Though she noticed a few times he would rest a hand around a corner to help swing himself around faster or to pull himself tight against the wall to dodge one of the crazed charges of the Killer. Who in turn would slam into a nearby wall to correct themselves back into Carter’s path.

There was a moment of pause on Carter’s end before he quickly bolted out of the area breaking the circular chase. Perhaps sensing how long the chase had been going. However that meant she was in sight again as he ran by her. She tried to duck out but the noise was coming to her. She took off running with the Killer on her now. A strategy that was annoying but valid was to force the Killer to look at someone else. She was struck with the cane and she kept running. However she found it to be a short chase as something had blown nearby. A generator. This had pulled the Blight’s focus off her. Perhaps a reminder of the Killer there was other things going on. She then heard David cry out shortly. This was not good. If David was hooked again he was dead this trial. However she had decided to risk being spotted going to the generator hoping that the Killer was too busy with David to notice someone had returned to the machine.

* * *

Herman was not sorry at all for using Feng the way he did. She could take a hit and distract. Clearly this had worked as he no longer was plagued by the stringed tones of his patient. He needed to really keep them in open areas as he barely was able to throw them off course in the walled areas. It had been one thing to try predicting the movements of subjects it fairly similar in principal when it came to predicting the movements of his colleagues. His patient was one of the more straight forward ones thankfully, but there had been moments that he could tell the Blight was trying to force him into a bad position a few times. He had the blessing of if his patient tried to use their ability they had to take the time to dose up again. Indeed the serum had some pain blocking ability given how violently they would slam themselves into surfaces to change the direction of their mad dashes about the area.

His lungs burned from the running almost coughing at the sensation. He had not really looked to where he was going but he could tell from the far off objects that he was at least past the middle building. Then he saw a figure in white motion to him. Sally. He had not really seen her this entire time. What had she been doing? He quickly met up with her however she went from a clear figure to a blob of white with some red in it. He felt his sleeve be tugged at to follow and he followed the blob to a generator that became a mechanical blob once he crouched over a panel. This was going to be fun. It was dark and his vision was impaired. He knew this wasn’t going to go well but he tried for it anyway.

The machine blew hard and loud. He could hear Sally make a frustrated noise before he felt her gaze.

“I can’t see,” He ended up hissing at her.

“It’s not that dark though,” She whispered back.

“He took my glasses,” He pushed himself away from the machine. He was better off just acting as a spotter as he still could see reasonably for far off things.

“He what?” Her tone changed at that, a few clicking sounds were heard before she too paused at the machine.

“When he hooked me, he took my glasses from me,” He explained keeping his tone quiet as it felt odd to speak during a trial but this felt warranted given the situation.

“Why did he do that?” She asked.

Herman shook his head, “No idea but maybe it let him see who I was? Did he recognize you?”

* * *

Sally looked back to the generator briefly, “If he did he couldn’t really say.”

Herman kept looking outwards, “I guess I’ll see if he pays me a visit then after all this. Just get back on the generator. I can keep an eye out the best I can.”

She had thought the glasses were for appearances not an actual need. As in a translation of what normally was done to his eyes by a piece of equipment he usually was strapped into. Had his vision been warped by the Entity and it had to correct this when he was made into a Survivor? She set the thought aside to other matters. David was on death hook. Judging from his movements she could see he was likely going to go down again as she lost sight of his aura and instead saw a downed figure. And it wasn’t long before she heard the death noise either.

She heard Herman mutter not looking to her but instead to the direction of where David had died, “He’ll be coming to here, prepare to move.”

The pair heard strings after a few seconds and the Killer was dashing his way towards them and Herman had already begun to side step out of the path barely missing the cane that tried to swing. However the attention had shifted to her rather quickly as the Blight picked up that she was still at the machine trying to plug up tubes of fluid. It was only about a quarter of the way finished when she had to abandon the generator. She really needed Herman to be the one chased off not her. She looked around trying to spy his coat. It took going into the trees to find him and she tried to lead her friend into him. She got a bit mixed around where to turn when the cane smashed into her forcing her to flee further into the trees. The strings trailing behind her, but still very much in her ears.

* * *

Feng looked up from the generator she was working on when she heard a woman’s cry somewhere on the far opposite side of her. The only reason the Blight had not chased after her was she had tried to get close enough to where David had died to not be sensed or hoped was the case. She had to get this machine going more than ever. At the moment the closest to Sally she figured was Carter. She kept an eye towards where Sally was struggling on her hook. She saw the silhouette change as seconds later it was plucked off.

The generator had hit a bit past the half way point when she was joined by a haggard looking nurse. Sally was breathing hard looking behind her. Feng paused her work to treat the nurse. A small nod of thanks was given once Sally stopped breathing so hard. The girls had started to work on the generator when when they both heard Carter let out a loud yelp and they saw he was downed. Feng shot Sally a look to remain working on the generator as she herself took off running towards where Carter fell. Upon seeing he had been picked up She tried to seek a locker on the way to slip into.

Hiding in these things did dull the senses but she had some clue of about where he had been strung up at by the sound he made. She waited a second or two before emerging from the locker. At worst there was a chance she would still bump into the Blight as he was on his way to Sally. At minimum the Killer was likely going to go after Sally again. However as she was making her way for the rescue she saw the Blight standing before Carter who was fighting the grasp of the Entity. Quietly she tried to find an angle to try to rush the hook.

The last generator popped to life and while the Blight did look around for a moment his attention fell back onto Carter. She only had so much time left before Carter would have to give into the Entity and be removed from this trial. She darted to the hook when she saw the Blight turn his head to something to the side opposite of her. It was for a moment of held breath as she reached and got a hold of Carter that she thought she was going to be snatched away herself. However she had been just fast enough to force instead of a grab a hard strike from the cane. She tried again this time getting Carter off. She was willing to take the trade off if it bought the other time to get out. She tried to put herself in between them again but she wasn’t hit again instead felt herself almost pushed to side as the Blight seemed very dead set on killing off Carter.

* * *

Oh to be on the other end of what Herman had learned as “tunneling”. Indeed this was a true case of tunnel vision on his patient’s part. He could hear their battle cry as they made a mad dash for him. The heavy thud to keep the sprint going. He hardly had to turn his head to know that the cane was held high to lay into him again. He planted a foot solidly and stopped just enough to force himself to change directions. The Blight sailed past him not quite ready to change directions to follow and ended up hitting air. The means of escape were just a switch away. A gate away. He knew where to go from his time up on the hook when the last generator was activated. He had gotten himself into a position to head to one of the gates. It was up to Sally to have that thing ready to throw open. He had tried to cover himself through the trees even taking just a moment or two to just stop running. To hide the markings he normally could see when he was his normal role.

Approaching the gate he could see Sally was leaning hard into the switch to channel the power of the machines into the gate. The strings sounded and this got her to freeze what she was doing and release her grip as she looked to her sides trying to find the direction of the strings. Herman could hear them to his left and behind. There were only two lights on. He left the trees and into the open area that was the gate. He needed to force the Killer off him but he ended up watching Sally look to where he had came from. The strings pounding in their ears as the Blight charged his way into them. However he didn’t quite swing instead stopped just short. Wheezed as they pulled from the pouch a syringe to inject into themselves.

Herman ended up coughing at this point. He was still in sore shape from the hook and the amount of running was making it worse. He also felt the smallest of fear of knowing he was one hit from being sent to death. It was odd to feel an actual sense of fear given how he had understood the trials. Death was never permanent and yet this fear of it’s permanence was still an accessible emotion here. To him it was more that sense of feeling too much undone being left behind.

That was when Sally put herself between him and his patient. Herman almost spoke up at this. However this tense moment was only filled with the string tones and rain. Why was she trying to play hero now? This was not what he expected of her given how icy their relations were. Then again his patient was friendly towards her normally. Perhaps she is trying to tap into that even with the change of role? Something was occurring even if it was near impossible to read the Blight’s face.

A loud clang told the three a gate had been opened. Herman sensed Feng was still on the field. She was a ways away. Meanwhile they were still in a rather intense stare off unsure who would move first. It was Sally that took a step up closer first. The Killer twitched but his gaze had still looked to him. His patient perhaps still very intent on killing him. Herman tried his luck making a step towards the switch. He felt Feng had left the trial. It was just the three of them. His hand nearly getting to the handle when he felt the back of his coat be tugged upon and himself hoisted over the Killer’s shoulder. He had yelped at this due to the sudden speed of this occurring. Instinct to fight back led to him trying to force the Blight to let go. Herman paused when he heard the clang of cane to metal. How he moved with the Killer made him notice that Sally was watching the two. Clang. His patient was telling Sally to open the door. For now Herman would just let himself be carried to see what would occur. He was only a short trip to a hook that he could see from where they were.

* * *

It took Sally a bit to realize what was being said but she went to the switch and pulled down on it again. The buzz of the door mixing into intense strings. She had no certainty of what would happen to Herman even if she got this gate open. Was she being spared but taking him as the price of freedom? Then again Herman had stopped trying to get himself free upon the Blight hitting the switch with his cane. Maybe seeing them together made the Blight realize who they were? However given that Herman was dead on the next hook it would be easy for the Killer to leave the trial with two sacrifices.

The gate slid open and slowly she walked through but turn to see what the men were doing. The Blight had walked into this little space with her until they hit near a threshold. He then rolled Herman off his shoulder. She went to try getting him back to his feet at least. It was a bit nerve wracking trying to patch him up with the Killer down her neck. She only managed to mess up once and was given a hiss of annoyance from him. She steadied him back to his feet before she tugged at his sleeve to get him to leave quickly with her. Not knowing if things would change on them.

Rainy forest became a dimly lit campsite. She still had a grip of Herman’s sleeve who was still looking behind her when they arrived to the fire. Looking at him saw his glasses had returned to him during the transition. She finally dropped her grip when they saw Feng was sitting at the log by herself.

“I see the Entity gave you back your glasses?” Feng asked Herman.

“So it had,” Herman chuckled a bit raising a hand to feel the glasses were there, “…though does that mean he has a pair still in his pouch?”

“...I guess you’ll learn later?” Sally breathed as now outside of the trial the amount of emotion she was feeling was hitting upon her like a wave. She had let herself fall onto the log which cause Feng to jump up at that.

“Sally?” Feng asked with concern.

“I’m fine…I guess I wasn’t prepared for who the Killer was,” Sally was careful how to she was saying this until Herman spoke up.

“Feng is aware of who you are Sally,” Herman said.

When did that happen? If it was known then did the others know? Does Evan know that they know? Right now she was tired but found it hard to really help herself up and looked between the pair to ask for help. She felt one arm be taken easily and she was brought to her feet by Herman.

“Let’s get you to your tent, we can talk there,” Herman then said before his attention went to Feng as if to say follow them.

The three made their way into the campsite and into the little nest of tents the Killers turned Survivor had been residing in. They had gone to the one that Sally knew was assigned to her and the three sat in there. There was a long moment of silence before Feng broke it.

“So what happened back there? I take it you two got out at the same time given how Sally was dragging you,” Feng was looking to Herman.

“...He spared me…” he said with some disgust to his tone, “Easily could have been less of a disappointment to the Entity if he bothered to just kill me when he had me on his shoulder.”

“So you wanted to die?” Sally asked.

“No,” He answered, “I would have liked to have been more on my own ability to escape rather than him just giving me the means to leave.”

Feng laughed hearing this. Sally shook her head, though she perked a bit seeing Herman moved to leave. A tiredness was gripping her as she watched him. Barely heard him speak of needing to rest himself. She was already lying on the bedding that was here when the pair had left. In her head the thoughts of the rain of the last trial merged with the scent of pine. A strange calm that she has not had in some time draped itself over her like a blanket.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A combination of life events and my initial burst of drive in the fandom has finally settled a bit does play into how often I will get a chance to update now. Boy howdy has a lot occurred since I've last came upon this and the other fic that is in progress. Though I may have some renewed interest due to the latest chapter coming out is more of me just giggling at the chapter theme and finding the Killer of that to be fun even if not that strong per say. It has not helped that I have been taking some time to write out a third thing related to this fandom however at this time it's more of an exercise to help me cement how I handle writing a particular character, the one I put the most effort into trying to get into the headspace for. I'm not sure how much someone wants to read through a rehashing of existing lore on top of some guess work of how it felt early on. If there is any interest I guess leave a note.


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